Chilaca Pepper
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Chilaca chile peppers can be described as twisted or flattened, slightly curved, long and thin. These peppers ripen to a deep brown or a chocolate color and have a mildly pungent flavor. They measure six to nine inches long and are typically about one inch in diameter. These peppers get their brown color through the maturation period where the green chlorophyll is retained and the red pigment is produced. Due to their warm flavor these peppers are rarely eaten fresh and are more commonly dried. The dried form of these peppers are referred to as “pasilla” or “chile negro.”
Seasons/Availability
Mid to Late Summer
Applications
To prepare cut off the stalks, slit the body of the chile open, and discard the seeds. The dried form of the chile “pasilla” is excellent for sauces or can be ground into a table sauce. To store the chiles refrigerate between paper towels or in a plastic bag up to one week. After handling chiles to prevent irritation of the eyes, face and skin wear gloves or wash your hands thoroughly with soapy water.
Geography/History
The brownish-black color of this chile is termed "achocolatado" in Spanish, meaning "chocolate colored". In Central Mexico, the chilaca is popular primarily in Guanajuato, Valisco and Zacatecas and in the northwestern regions of Mexico. The name of this chile is derived from the Nahuatl acatl meaning "gray hair" or "old", an appropriate description of this bent and wrinkled chile.
