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28
l Spring 2015
CHILES RELLENOS
WITH VEGETABLE PICADILLO
CILANTRO-COTIJA PESTO
Aarón Sánchez Recipes
Serves 4
as an appetizer
Makes 2 Cups
1. Turn two of your stove's burners to medium-high. Place 2
poblano chiles on each burner and roast them, turning
them occasionally with tongs, until they're charred all over
and soft but not mushy, about 7 minutes. Transfer them to
a big bowl or soup pot, cover it tightly with plastic wrap,
and let the chiles steam for 10 minutes. Peel them, being
careful to keep them intact. Rub off the skins; don't rinse
under water.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the oil in a skillet over
medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and corn and
cook until the onion has softened and the pepper is just
cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and
transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool slightly. Add
the cheese and Cotija-Cotija Pesto and mix well.
3. Cut a lengthwise slit in each pepper, pull out and discard
the seeds and veins, but keep the stem on. Divide the
filling among the chiles. Lay them in a 1-quart baking dish
and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is melting.
Serve at once.
Note: If you don't have a gas stove, put your peppers on a
baking sheet and cook them under the broiler until they
char, turning several times, about 10 minutes all together.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F
5. Spread the pumpkin seeds in an even layer on a dry bak-
ing sheet. Put the sheet in the oven and bake, checking
them and shaking the pan every 3 minutes, until they start
to dance, puff up and brown lightly, about 10 minutes.
Take the pan out of the oven, transfer the seeds to a bowl
and let cool to room temperature.
6. Put the cilantro, basil and olive oil into a food processor,
and puree for 2 minutes. Add the chile, garlic, pumpkin
seeds and cotija and pulse until you have a coarse puree.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. To store, put it into a container with a tight-fitting lid and
pour ¼ inch of olive oil over the surface to keep out the
air. Each time you use it, stir that oil in, and replace with
another ¼ inch of oil before closing the container, this
makes an airtight seal that will keep it tasting fresh for up
to 10 days.
DIRECTIONS
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENTS
4 large poblano chiles
1 tablespoon canola oil
¼ cup finely chopped white onion
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup diced queso blanco or Jack cheese
1 tablespoon Cilantro-Cotija Pesto
1 cup unsalted raw or roasted pumpkin seeds
½ bunch fresh cilantro, stems trimmed 2 inches
from the bottom
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup olive oil, plus extra for storage
½ serrano chile or 1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped
(include seeds for additional spice)
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
½ crumbled cotija (preferably Cacique brand) or
shredded pecorino or Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Aarón Sánchez for Simple Food, Big Flavor
Aarón Sánchez for Simple Food, Big Flavor