Creamy Mexican Rajas

It had been way too long since I cooked any Mexican food, and my cravings built up to the point where I decided to do a whole week of back-to-back Mexican meals. First up was this recipe for rajas, a blend of creamy roasted poblano peppers, corn, and onions. I’ve tried something like it at La Super Rica (my favorite Mexican restaurant of all time), and even though I never come close to being able to recreate their cooking, this was still super tasty. I served it with tortillas and spice-rubbed grilled chicken, but it would be great on its own for a satisfying vegetarian meal. I’m also thinking of adding more cheese (never a bad idea) to turn it into a dip for tortilla chips for my next potluck.


Rajas:

• Place 4 poblano* peppers on top of a direct flame over a gas stove** and char until black on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Cover charred peppers in a plastic bag and allow to steam for 15 minutes.
• Rub the charred skin off with your fingers and pull off the stem and seeds.
• Slice peppers into thin strips and set aside.***
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add in 1 small thinly sliced onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until soft.
• Add in 1 c. corn kernels and cook for another 3 minutes.
• Stir in the peppers, 1/3 c. creme fraiche, and 1/4 c. whole milk.
• Let cream reduce until thick, about 5-6 minutes, then stir in 3/4 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
• Stir mixture until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.
• Serve directly from the skillet or pour into a serving dish.

Serves three - four (main course)
Serves six - eight  (side)
*Also called pasilla peppers. They are very mild in flavor.
**Or place under a hot broiler.
***Can be done a few days ahead and kept in the fridge.