Grilled Baby Carrot Wraps with Poblano Cream
This chile pepper is often mislabeled ‘Pasilla’, which is a different pepper entirely.It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico and has won the appreciation of many a chef worldwide because of the superior flavor it has over regular bell peppers.
They have a tough outer skin that usually requires roasting and peeling before use. These very large chile peppers are most popular in chiles rellenos recipes, but cooking with these as a substitute for bell peppers in any recipe will enhance the flavor.
Yield: 4
Ingredients
2 poblano chiles
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Green hot sauce
Salt
60 (4 to 5 bunches) assorted thin baby carrots, peeled
Vegetable oil, for brushing
4 10-inch flour tortillas
Preparation
Roast the poblanos directly over a gas flame or under a preheated broiler, turning, until charred all over. Let cool. Peel, seed and stem the chiles, then coarsely chop them. Transfer the poblanos to a blender. Add the sour cream, cumin and cilantro and puree. Season with hot sauce and salt.
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the carrots until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Brush the carrots with oil. If using a grill, place the carrots in a perforated grill pan. Grill over moderately high heat, turning, until charred, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
Cut off the top third of each tortilla. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the poblano cream on each tortilla and arrange the carrots (about 15 for each wrap) in a row at the bottom. Tightly roll up the tortillas, folding in the sides as you go. Insert 2 toothpicks in each wrap to keep it closed. Brush the wraps all over with vegetable oil.
Grill the wraps over moderately high heat, turning, until charred and very crisp all over, about 2 minutes. Discard the toothpicks. Cut the wraps in half and serve the extra poblano cream on the side.
Marcia Kiesel, Food & Wine
SEPTEMBER 2011