[corkybstewart]

I have to say the Hatch chiles looked kinda weak this year corky. They were very pale and thin fleshed. Am I just misremembering or does it have something to do with the drought?

We got a small bag of excellent Hatch chiles a couple of weeks ago-really thick fleshed and hot enough for what we needed them for.  This next weekend I'll go to our local farm and get a bushel, but I have no idea how their crop will be.
I'm going to buy a bunch of poblanos to smoke.  Anchos are smoked poblanos and they make great chili.

[1vertical]

I made a cream of poblano soup once that was well...u know....
freaking good! (recipes all over the net try it)

http://www.toomanychefs.net/archives/001349.php

Ancho are my new favorite chili.  Try some (cut em with scizzors)
in your next batch of spanish rice....

[bluesman]

Poblano peppers are delightful. I'd like to try them in a beer recipe someday.

I especially like them roasted and stuffed with potatoes and cheese or sausage, mushrooms and cheese. They are one of my favorite peppers. I also like to smoke them along with pork or steak. The recipes are unlimited and they are good for you.

Here's one to try:

Roasted Poblano Salsa

6 poblano chiles
1 pound tomatoes, coarsely chopped (2 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Roast (or smoke) the chiles until charred. Skin, stem and seed the chiles, then dice. Combine the chiles with the tomatoes, onion, olives, cilantro, olive oil and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
 

 

[euge]

Olives. OLIVES!? Salty, briny, bitter. What do they bring to the salsa party? Not 'gainst it mind you just uhhh trying to get my head around the idea...

I'm gonna do ribs today and have some poblanos. I will try the "stuffing and roasting" since doing a batter and frying them will be too much work. And heavy. Do you par roast them before stuffing?

[morticaixavier]

Olives. OLIVES!? Salty, briny, bitter. What do they bring to the salsa party? Not 'gainst it mind you just uhhh trying to get my head around the idea...

I'm gonna do ribs today and have some poblanos. I will try the "stuffing and roasting" since doing a batter and frying them will be too much work. And heavy. Do you par roast them before stuffing?

I roast them black and then sweat to get the skins off. The skins are not so much in my opinion, at least when doing rellenos I find they prevent the batter from sticking. but if you are roasting them whole it might not matter so much, in that case I would make sure the stuffing is cooked and hot and then just go. course roating the peppers first makes it easier to stuff them.

[bluesman]

Olives. OLIVES!? Salty, briny, bitter. What do they bring to the salsa party? Not 'gainst it mind you just uhhh trying to get my head around the idea...

I'm gonna do ribs today and have some poblanos. I will try the "stuffing and roasting" since doing a batter and frying them will be too much work. And heavy. Do you par roast them before stuffing?

They add a certain complexity of flavor to the salsa. Give it a shot...I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

[euge]

OHhh...! I just ate one! Mouth burning.

Roasted and peeled. I went lower-fat vegetarian out the gate with a blackbean, potato corn and cheese mixture.

Blackbeans cooked with fish sauce, cumin and a bit of garlic. Third of a cup (drained)  mixed with 1/4 cup diced cooked potatoes, 1/4 cup corn, and about 3 ounces of diced sharp cheddar. Bit of salt and pepper and tossed with fine extra virgin olive oil. Stuffed into three cleaned poblanos and smoked for 1 1/4 hours at 225.

Not mushy- could have withstood another 30 minutes at least. The blackbeans are meaty and everything incorporated in a flowing cheesy smoky goodness. Queso deconstructed comes to mind. The poblano is more than just a vehicle. Blows a bell-pepper out of the water. Very satisfying. I suggest one maybe two per person with sides. Went great with a Sierra Nevada Torpedo.



This dish and variations will be incorporated into the menu. I'm thinking fragrant couscous, raisins and chopped almonds with a little lamb and feta. Well ok then leave the feta out...

[euge]

Olives. OLIVES!? Salty, briny, bitter. What do they bring to the salsa party? Not 'gainst it mind you just uhhh trying to get my head around the idea...

I'm gonna do ribs today and have some poblanos. I will try the "stuffing and roasting" since doing a batter and frying them will be too much work. And heavy. Do you par roast them before stuffing?

They add a certain complexity of flavor to the salsa. Give it a shot...I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

I will. If you recommend this then it shall be investigated. I'll get some plain-jane quality olives. Not canned.

[pinnah]

Holy crap.  You guys are amazing! 
I better get with it, thanks for the inspiration.

I am going to try that salsa tonight bluesman! 
Dangit though, I can never keep cilantro in the garden very long!  Seems to go to seed over night on me.

[euge]

The cilantro will bolt if it is grown in hot weather. Best to grow after danger of frost but before it gets too warm. As it cools down you could get a crop in probably this fall.

[1vertical]

Pinnah, just go pick some water cress...in a CLEAN stream near you...
That will substitute quite nicely methinks. 

[pinnah]

Pinnah, just go pick some water cress...in a CLEAN stream near you...

 , if I was on the hill I might grab some; but down here that stuff is just a filter weed.

Dangit euge, I didn't have my camera, but last night I had a ribeye laying next to a poblano on the grill, would have been a nice pic except for the filthy grill.
I cut it open like you did, removed the seeds, stuffed in a small quartered onion and a couple slices of hard cheese.
Wowza.  Paired it with some fried chanty mushrooms, green beans and a little steamed chard.

It was beautiful. 

When she tasted it, the wife was seriously offended that I only made one poblano.  I told her I was just "experimenting".

[pinnah]

Hello again,

Winter is here, and there are dried poblanos in the freezer.

To use dried poblanos....do you just rehydrate these to use them? 
Mine are seriously dry and chip like.

Would you pay attention to the amount of soak water, or do you toss that?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[1vertical]

Hello again,

Winter is here, and there are dried poblanos in the freezer.

To use dried poblanos....do you just rehydrate these to use them?  
Mine are seriously dry and chip like.

Would you pay attention to the amount of soak water, or do you toss that?

Thanks for your thoughts.

The dried poblano I know is called "Ancho" it is no longer the green poblano but morphed into
the different red chili.  Are yours still green?  Anyhow what is interesting, is that taking an Ancho
and tossing it in a VERY VERY almost red hot cast iron skillet yeilds a Soft smokey delightful thing.
No water required...just heat.

and If I were using frozen dried?? perhaps a little boiling hot water soak and into a blender along with the liquid...
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......flavor incarnate.

[EHall]

I prefer letting them ripen to red on the vine then smoking/drying, grinding and using in all kinds of dishes.