Poblano-Cilantro Relish

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.

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Makes about 1 cup

total time
20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 3 poblano chiles
  • 1 cup cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus more for seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Light a grill and preheat for for at least 10 minutes or preheat a grill pan. Skewer the garlic. Grill the garlic and poblanos over moderately high heat, turning frequently, until the garlic is charred and softened, about 5 minutes, and the poblanos are blackened all over, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the vegetables to a plate. Peel the garlic and transfer to a food processor. Peel the peppers, then core them and discard most of the seeds. Cut the peppers into strips and transfer to a food processor.

Pulse the garlic and peppers until coarsely chopped. Add the cilantro, fish sauce, sugar and 1 tablespoon of lime juice and pulse to a chunky puree. Add the vegetable oil and process until incorporated. Season the relish with more lime juice, if desired, and serve.

Epicurious, June 2014