Poblano Rajas
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:
6 poblano chiles
1 tsp. olive oil
1 pound flank steak, trimmed, cut into 1/4″ strips
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups fresh yellow corn kernels
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
16 corn tortillas
Will also need:
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions:
Preheat the broiler.
Cut the chiles in half lengthwise and discard the seeds and membranes. Place the chile halves, flattened with your hand, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet . Broil for 10 minutes or until the chiles are blackened. Place the chiles in a zip-loc bag and seal. After 10 minutes peel the outer skin and cut into 1/4″ strips.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the steak, onion and garlic, and saute for 6 minutes. Add the chiles and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the yogurt and cream cheese, then stir until the cheese melts. Stir in the corn, boullion, black pepper and cumin. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the steak mixture into the center of each tortilla, and fold in half. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.
Yields 8 servings.
Note: for lower fat use fat free yogurt and cream cheese.