JAXON’S GREEN CHILE CHOWDER
Fall Festival Recipe
Original source: El Paso Times newspaper
Recent source: 2004 Fall Festival Cookbook, Woman’s Club of El Paso
Yield: approximately 8 cups
“Kissing won’t last like the cooking does”

1/2 cup fresh jalapeños, seeded and minced
1/3 cup fresh long green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and finely chopped (about 3 medium chiles)
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk (may use 1-1/2 cups milk and 1-1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream)
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Combine the first six ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. In a separate pan, melt margarine over low heat, add flour and blend (roux). Cook over low heat 3 minutes, constantly moving so it will not scorch. Strain liquid from potato-chile mixture and reserve 3 cups of the liquid. Mash half the potato-chile mixture; reserve the other half. Stir reserved cooking liquid into the roux, raise heat and whisk until thickened. Add milk and continue to stir until it comes to a simmer. Turn off heat and add mashed potato mixture. Stir in and blend well. Add cubed potato and chile mixture and gently mix together. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese on top.