serrano chile

The serrano is a small, slender chile from the mountainous regions of Mexico, usually three to six centimetres long and picked green, less often left to ripen red. It has nothing to do with the Spanish ham of the same name. Its walls are thin and its flesh crisp, with a bright, grassy, fresh flavour and a strong, quick heat, roughly two to three times that of a jalapeño. Because it tastes so good raw and chops finely without turning watery, it is the classic chile for raw salsas, pico de gallo and guacamole, though it is also roasted or cooked into dishes. It can be found in Latin American shops, sometimes in well-stocked supermarkets or Asian grocers, fresh by mail order, and it is easy to grow from seed.