Hatch Chile & Roasted Corn Beignets with Hatch Cilantro Ranch

This is my entry for Melissa's Produce Hatch at Home Contest! It’s Hatch Chile Season and they are looking for the best Hatch Chile recipe out there. The chiles are the star of the show in this one. First, they are stirred into the batter along with roasted sweet corn and fried until golden and gorgeous and impossibly fluffy. Then they are pureed into the best ranch dip you’ll ever have. Seriously, if you don’t have time to make the Beignets, please make the ranch. It will be on repeat at my house until further notice!
 

Hatch Chile & Roasted Corn Beignets with Hatch Cilantro Ranch

¾ cup roasted, peeled, seeded and diced Hatch Chiles

½ cup packed cilantro leaves

1 cup ranch dressing

 

2 cups flour

½ cup cornmeal

6 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 large (about 4 Tablespoons) sliced green onion

1 cup roasted, peeled, seeded and diced Hatch Chiles

1 cup roasted corn kernels

 

Place the Hatch Chiles, cilantro and ranch dressing in a small blender and puree until smooth. Set in the fridge to chill.

 In an electric fryer or large high sided skillet fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the oil up to 360 degrees over medium high heat.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, cajun seasoning and baking soda. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, green onion, Hatch Chiles and corn. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just barely combined.

Once the oil is hot, using a small cookie scoop carefully drop balls of batter into the oil. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel lined cookie sheet and allow to drain. Serve immediately with Hatch Cilantro Ranch for dipping.

Makes 40 beignets