Pasta Salad with Roasted Corn and Poblanos
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:
4 poblano chiles (1 pound)
2 fresh jalapeno chiles
8 medium tomatoes (2 pounds), coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup green (hulled) pumpkin seeds
4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off
1 large white onion, cut into 1/2″ thick rounds
3 garlic cloves, minced
1tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
12 oz. short pasta such as gemelli or rotini
1-1/2 cups crumbled queso fresco (Mexican fresh cheese) or ricotta
salata cheese
Garnish: fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions:
Peel the poblanos and discard the seeds and ribs, then coarsely chop. Peel the jalapenos and chop with seeds (omit the seeds only if you want a less spicy salad).
Transfer the chiles to a large serving bowl and stir in the tomatoes and herbs.
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry well-seasoned 9″ cast-iron skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until the seeds are puffed and lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes (seeds will pop as they puff). Transfer the seeds to a small bowl. Add half of the corn to the skillet and dry-roast it over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until browned in spots, 4-5 minutes.
Transfer to the tomato mixture and cook the remaining corn in the same manner, then adding it to tomato mixture. Add the onion to the skillet and dry-roast, turning frequently, until browned but still slightly crisp. Transfer the onion to a cutting board and coarsely chop. Stir into the corn mixture.
Cook the garlic and cumin in the skillet with a little oil over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir into the corn mixture and season the vegetables with salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain. Add the pasta to the corn mixture and toss. Season with salt and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.
**Chiles, corn, and onion can be roasted 2 hours ahead of time, then mixed with tomatoes and kept at room temperature.
Yields 6 main course servings.