In New Mexico it is rare to eat Mac & Cheese without Green Chile in it.
It was kind of a love at first taste when I arrived in New Mexico in 1982. And, it's not just a feast for the tastebuds here. I love the air, the light, the people, the mountains, the river. But, let me get back to the food. The chile culture is magnificent! "Red or Green?" is the most asked question at just about every restaurant in New Mexico. We're not the only state that grows chile (Colorado) but we are the best at it! I don't think I've had a Cheeseburger without green chile on it since I've lived here. Cheese & Chile are kind of a match made in heaven.
I worked at a restaurant in Taos Ski Valley in the late 80's & early 90's that would take an empty horse trailer down to Hatch, New Mexico to pick up enough Fresh Green Chile to supply their restaurant for the year. (Shout out to Tim's Stray Dog Cantina) They'd bring it back and we roasted it, peeled & seeded it, & separated the best green chiles for rellenos. If you've never smelled green chiles roasting, it should be on your bucket list.
I usually buy 2-3 cases of Fresh Hatch Green Chile & have it roasted at the store in early September. I do the same thing as I learned at the restaurant, peel, seed and separate relleno chiles, bag it up & store it in my freezer. I only do 2 or 3 cases because that's all I can fit in my freezer. Someday when our solar power can handle a chest freezer, I will get enough green chile to last me until the next season. I estimate it at about 9 cases. But, if you don't have New Mexico Green Chile in your freezer, use what's in your area. You might be able to find it frozen, jarred or canned at your neighborhood grocery store.
This is a basic Mac & Cheese recipe with the addition of green chile. Click on the caption above for the printable recipe.
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