Poblano Custard

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.

Yields 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

4 medium Poblano chiles, roasted and cleaned

2 c. cream

1/2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese

3 eggs, plus 3 yolks

1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

Finely chop 2 Tbs. of chiles and set aside. Combine remaining chiles and cream in a blender and purée. Pour into a pot and cook until it just begins to steam. Add cheese and stir until it melts.

Preheat oven to 300° F and put a pot (or kettle…which would have saved me here) of water on to boil. Put eggs and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until blended. Gradually add the chile mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Add chopped reserved chile. Pour mixture into a 1-qt. dish or into ramekins or custard cups.

Pout the dish or ramekins in a baking pan and pour the boiling water into the pan to within ~1″ of the top of the dish/ramekins. Bake until the mixture is not quite set- it should jiggle a bit in the middle-about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Recipe from All Roads Lead To The Kitchen, 2o1o