Mushroom-Apple-Poblano Cornbread Dressing
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.
Ingredients:
Cornbread:
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 eggs
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
Dressing:
4 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup white onion, finely chopped
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped, including tops
1 cup celery, diced
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
4 roasted poblano chiles, charred, peeled, seeded and diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
6 oz. crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup chopped parsley (no stems)
5 cups crumbled cornbread (see recipe above)
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. molasses
Instructions:
For the cornbread:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the dry ingredients together and mix well. Add the milk, eggs and melted butter, and blend to form a smooth batter.
Pour the mixture into a buttered 9″X 13″ baking dish and bake for 35-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Allow the cornbread to cool. Cut the cornbread into approximately 2″ squares and gently crumble enough for 5 cups.
This may be made ahead of time. Note: You will have some cornbread left over.
For the dressing:
In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and sautè the garlic and white onions until translucent. Add the mushrooms and sautè until lightly cooked. Add the green onions, celery and apples, and lightly sautè.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Transfer the contents of the skillet into a bowl and add the poblano chiles, red bell pepper, goat cheese, parsley and 4 cups of cornbread. Gently mix.
In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, salt and pepper, and mix well. Gently stir the liquid into the cornbread mixture.
Transfer the mixture into a 9″X 13″ baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of cornbread crumbs on the top and drizzle the molasses over them. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the dressing is heated through.
Yields 8-10 servings.
Recipe from Texas Monthly Magazine, November 1991.