Creamy Poblano Rajas
Rajas con Crema
Serves 8 Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes Can be made up to 2 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated
The word rajas refers to strips of chiles, and some of the most popular are made with poblano chiles, which are charred, sweated, and peeled. Some cooks finish them by adding cooked onions, others add tomatoes or even corn. My preferred version is admittedly decadent. I gently cook onions in butter until all their sweetness has been coaxed out, then mix them into the poblanos along with cream and salty cheese. Serve as a topping for Blissful Corn Torte or as a side to grilled meats or seafood, or spoon into warm corn tortillas for some of the tastiest tacos you will ever have.
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½ cups slivered white onions
- 1 pound poblano chiles, charred, sweated, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into 1-x-½-inch strips (see the sidebar)
- 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 cup Mexican crema, crème fraîche, or heavy cream
- ½ cup crumbled queso fresco, Cotija, farmer cheese, feta, or ricotta salata
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until melted and foamy. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, translucent, and starting to gently brown around the edges, about 15 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the poblano chile strips. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chiles have lightly browned. Reduce the heat to medium, add the cream and cheese, and cook, tossing gently, until the sauce thickens, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve hot.
