As we say adieu to juicy Palisade peaches and sweet Rocky Ford cantaloupe, it’s time to welcome Colorado’s next celebrity fruit: Pueblo green chiles.

Each September, the air fills with the tantalizing smoky scent of green chiles wafting from roadside roasters. Chile roasters fire up propane burners, dumping bushels of fresh green chiles into huge, round wire tumblers and cracking the barrels over blasting flames until the chiles are blistered and charred.

There’s a smug feeling of satisfaction driving home with a plastic bag of freshly roasted green chiles smoldering in the car trunk, and knowing that, once peeled and stored, your bounty will be enjoyed all winter in soups, stews, quiches and any number of dishes needing a little kick of spice.

But how do you choose which Pueblo green chiles to stock up on? Are Pueblo chiles different from New Mexico Hatch chiles? How do you know if you’re getting extra-hot, hot, or mild chiles? What’s the best way to roast and peel them at home? And what else can you do with all those chiles besides soup or stew?

For help, we turned to cooking school instructors and chefs for tips and inspiration.

We started with David Cook, former chef, owner and teacher at Gather Food Studio and Spice Shop, who was, in our opinion, the Springs’ Pueblo green chile king. Each year during green chile harvest, he roasted, peeled, froze, and sold bushels of chiles using his small tabletop roaster.

“Yes, Pueblo and Hatch chiles are different,” Cook said.

He explained, “Pueblo chiles are in the Mirasol family. Hatch chiles are a distinct variety of regional pepper that produce long, pendulum-shaped pods. Pueblo peppers have a thicker skin and are larger and meatier.”

Typically, Cook said, Pueblo chiles are better suited for roasting, stuffing, or using whole — “think a Colorado twist on chiles relleno” — while Hatch chiles are fantastic in stews or soup. Both, however, can be used for either.

Cook also said Pueblo chiles generally pack more heat.

“Pueblo chiles produce more capsaicin and register hotter on the Scoville scale, which ranks pepper heat,” he said.

The hot, dry days and cooler nights at high elevation stress the pepper plants, triggering them to produce more capsaicin. Pueblo chiles also have been bred over the years to range from mild to hot.

For controlling the heat, Cook offers this tip: “The seeds and the membranes contain 70% of the capsaicin of the chiles, so if you like hot chiles, leave them in. If you like them mild, after roasting slide your finger down the chiles to make an opening, lay them with the inside facing up and lightly run a knife over the chile to remove the seeds and membrane.”

For roasting chiles at home, Cook recommends an outdoor grill, oven or gas cooktop.

“Roast them until the skins are nice and charred,” he said. “Make sure not to stop when just a small section is blackened, but the whole pepper. This will help develop the roasted flavor and make them easier to skin.”

Once the peppers are black and charred, place them in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let them rest for 10 minutes. Condensation helps the skins slide right off. Another option is to place them in a plastic shopping bag, tie it tightly, and put it in the freezer for a few minutes.

Peel the chiles in a downward motion.

“Wear gloves,” Cook said. “And never touch your face while you are cleaning chiles.”

To store them, Cook recommends weighing out 4-ounce portions, placing them in freezer bags, squeezing out the air, rolling up the bags, then labeling, dating and freezing them.

Once the freezer is stocked, the fun begins.

Chef Cathy Werle of The Margarita at Pine Creek said, “Fresh, roasted, whole, diced, sliced, sweet, spicy, and ground, we take it all. Chiles are so versatile in our kitchen, especially with the fact that the flavor, aroma and texture change with roasting or drying and turning into powder. What can’t you do with chiles?”

Werle’s go-to recipes include roasted pork green chile stew, fresh salsa and tangy, creamy tomatillo enchilada sauce.

“One of my favorites is an easy dish, our baked chile relleno,” she said. “So much easier than battering and frying.”

She layers whole roasted Pueblo chiles, with the skin and seeds removed, in a gratin or casserole dish, adding whatever filling strikes her fancy.

“Sometimes it’s just cheese, sometimes we add some shredded beef barbacoa, or chorizo and black beans, but always lots of cheese,” she said.

“We layer with more chiles and then top with a whipped egg batter and bake until golden and the filling is warm and gooey.” (See the accompanying recipe.)

“It’s nice because you can make a single serving or a full pan that feeds eight or more,” she said. “We usually top ours with a red chile sauce, avocado, cream and onion. It can be considered for brunch, lunch or dinner.”

Ashley Brown, chef at Four by Brother Luck, says, “Green chile is one of those ingredients that immediately feels like home to me. Living and cooking in Colorado, I love how deeply it is connected to our food culture, our farmers and the seasons.”

She loves green chile’s versatility.

“Of course, there’s nothing better than smothering a dish in green chile, but I also love taking it in unexpected directions,” she said. “I’ve used Colorado green chiles in ice cream, gels, vinegars, sauces, purées and baked dishes like our cornbread at Four by Brother Luck.”

Bottom line for Brown: “Green chiles are not just an ingredient in Colorado. They are part of our food identity, and I love finding new ways to celebrate it while still respecting where it comes from.”

And Werle’s advice for the season?

“Life is short — make it spicy!”

Baked Chile Relleno Casserole
Yield: 8 servings
8 large Pueblo green chiles, roasted and peeled
3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
6 eggs, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
Salt
Optional filling additions:
2 cups cooked shredded pork or chicken, or crumbled chorizo
2 cups calabacitas (mix of roasted squash, zucchini, corn, and peppers)
2 cups cooked and drained black beans
Optional garnishes: red chile sauce, sliced avocado, crema and pico de gallo.
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Layer half the chiles in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the chiles. If adding optional fillings, spread on top of the cheese. Layer the remaining roasted chiles trying to make sure the cheese filling is covered.
In a clean bowl or stand mixer, begin whisking the whites until frothy. Add a pinch of salt and return to high speed and whip until stiff peaks. Turn down to low speed and add the egg yolks and then gently fold in the flour to make a thin batter.
Spoon the batter over the casserole and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and firm on top. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Serve with optional garnishes.
Source: Cathy Werle, chef at The Margarita at Pine Creek