WHICH CHILE IS WHICH?

The same chile is often called by different names in different markets or different parts of the country, and trying to figure out which one is being referred to in a recipe can be bewildering. Adding to the confusion is the fact that the same chile can be called one name in its fresh form, another name in its mature form, and still another name in its dried form. A good example of this is the confusion that surrounds the fresh poblano and the dried pasilla. In California the poblano is mistakenly sold as the pasilla, and the poblano’s dried forms, the ancho and mulato, are also called pasillas! But the true pasilla is also known as the chile negro and it is actually the dried form of the fresh chilaca!

To avoid confusion, in our recipes when we call for poblanos, we mean the fresh, dark green chile about 4 or 5 inches long and 2 to 3 inches in diameter. This is the chile that is usually roasted, peeled, and used for rellenos or rajas. When we call for pasillas, we mean the dried, dark brown, wrinkled, elongated chile that is about 5 inches long and 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The pasilla is excellent for making sauces.

A note about piquancy and flavor: The unique flavors that chiles give to food is in the flesh of the chile, therefore you want to use all of the chiles that a recipe calls for. The best way to control piquancy is by reducing or removing the seeds and removing some or all of the veins.

Chiles used in these recipes:
Fresh: poblano, serrano, jalapeño, guero, green bell
Dried: pasilla, guajillo, chile de árbol, ancho, California pods
Smoked and canned: chipotle.