Hatch Green Chile and Goat Cheese Empanadas

Late summer in southern New Mexico has a smell all its own. Drive through the Hatch Valley along the Rio Grande in August or September and the air turns thick and sweet with roasting chiles, their skins blackening over open flame until the whole town smells like smoke and warm pepper flesh. That scent is the cue for one of the most fiercely regional ingredients in American cooking. Hatch green chile is not a single variety but a type, a family of cultivars bred to thrive in the high-desert soil and cool nights of the valley. The familiar names, Big Jim and NuMex 6-4 among them, were developed at New Mexico State University; Big Jim once held the record for the longest chile pod in the world. The chiles are harvested green and unripe in late summer, roasted over fire, peeled, and either used right away or frozen in bags to see a family through the winter. Left on the plant to ripen, they turn red and are dried and ground. Every Labor Day weekend the village of Hatch throws a festival for its namesake pepper that draws thirty thousand visitors, and they are not there for the spectacle alone.

Fold that roasted green chile into a soft goat cheese with a handful of sweet corn and tuck the lot into a flaky empanada pocket, and you have something close to a Southwestern instinct made edible. The empanada itself travelled with the Spanish, and in New Mexico it took on the ingredients growing in the fields around it. The match works because the three elements pull in different directions: the chile brings smoke and a slow, gentle heat, the goat cheese a clean tang that cools it, the corn a sweetness that rounds the edge. Set a glass of bright, citrus-leaning mimosa beside the plate and the whole thing lifts.

About the Ingredients

Hatch green chiles are available fresh only during the late August–September harvest. The Hatch Chile Store ships fresh-roasted Hatch chiles nationwide during the season and frozen year-round. Bueno Foods in Albuquerque is another excellent source, offering frozen roasted green chile. If Hatch chiles are unavailable, Anaheim or poblano peppers are acceptable substitutes — the flavor is different but the technique is identical.

Goat cheese should be a fresh, soft chèvre. Laura Chenel, founded in Sonoma County in 1979, is one of the original American goat cheese producers and is widely available. The tang of goat cheese is the ideal counterpoint to the smoky, slightly spicy green chile.

Empanada dough can be made from scratch (flour, butter, egg, and water) or purchased as discos (pre-cut empanada wrappers) from Latin American markets. Goya makes reliable frozen empanada discos available at most supermarkets.

Ingredients (makes 24 empanadas):

Dough (or use 24 store-bought empanada discos): - 3 cups all-purpose flour - 1 teaspoon salt - ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed - 1 large egg - ⅓ cup ice water - 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Filling: - 4 oz Hatch green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 4–5 large chiles) - 8 oz fresh goat cheese (chèvre), softened - ½ cup sweet corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned) - 1 small shallot, finely diced - 1 clove garlic, minced - 1 teaspoon ground cumin - ½ teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred) - Salt and pepper to taste - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

For frying or baking: - Vegetable oil for frying (or bake at 400°F)

Instructions: If making the dough: combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg, ice water, and vinegar, and pulse until the dough just comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface, knead briefly, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

For the filling: heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Sauté the shallot and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the diced green chiles, corn, cumin, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. In a bowl, combine the cooled chile mixture with the softened goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper. The filling should be well-mixed and hold its shape.

Roll the dough to ⅛ inch thick and cut into 4-inch circles (or thaw store-bought discos). Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle. Wet the edge with water, fold over to form a half-moon, and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.

To fry: heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F (347°F). Fry the empanadas in batches of 4–5 for 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

To bake: brush with egg wash and bake at 400°F (392°F) for 20–25 minutes until golden.

Serve warm.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: The smoky, slightly spicy green chile and the tangy goat cheese create a rich, savory profile that is beautifully balanced by a bright mimosa. A classic Champagne mimosa or a grapefruit rosemary mimosa is ideal — the citrus acidity cuts through the richness of the goat cheese and the fried pastry, while the wine's effervescence cleanses the palate of the green chile's gentle heat. The mimosa's fruit sweetness tempers the chile's spice, creating a balanced and refreshing contrast.

Reference Links: - Hatch green chile guide: The Hatch Chile Store - New Mexico green chile recipes: New Mexico Magazine - American goat cheese: Laura Chenel

Make-Ahead: The dough can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 1 month. The filling can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Empanadas can be assembled and frozen uncooked for up to 1 month — fry or bake from frozen, adding 3–4 minutes to the cooking time. Fried empanadas can be reheated in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes.

Pro Tips: The empanadas must be sealed tightly — a leak during frying or baking means lost filling and a greasy result. Press the fork tines firmly around the entire edge. Do not overfill — 1 tablespoon of filling per empanada is the maximum that allows a proper seal. The oil temperature must be maintained at 350°F — too cool and the pastry absorbs oil and becomes greasy; too hot and the exterior burns before the interior is hot. If baking instead of frying, the egg wash is essential for a golden, glossy finish.