Potato, Corn & Cheese Chile Rellenos

Early fall is the peak season for fresh chiles and our farmer's market has been overflowing with hard-to-find varieties like hatch, yellow wax, and red jalapenos. There's a stall at the market that's only open for a month during this time and sells roasted chiles that they char to-order in their huge outdoor grill. I picked up a bag of roasted poblanos and decided to create a riff on chile rellenos with this easy baked version (traditional recipes are deep-fried). These are stuffed with fresh sweet corn, Yukon Gold potatoes, and (of course) lots of cheese to create a wonderfully gooey filling. Can't find roasted chiles near you? No problem, I've provided easy instructions on how to do it at home.


Potato, Corn & Cheese Chile Rellenos:

• Place 1/2 lb. small Yukon Gold potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and boil over high heat for 20-30 minutes, or until tender.*
• Drain potatoes, let cool, and dice into small cubes. Mix the potatoes with the kernels from 2 ears of corn and season with salt and pepper.**
• Meanwhile, place 5-6 poblano peppers on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for 10-15 minutes, turing once, until skins are completely black and charred.
• Place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes so that they steam and cool.
• Use your fingers to carefully rub off the charred skins, then cut a small slit down the front of the pepper and carefully pull out the seeds, keeping the stem intact.***
• Stuff the peppers with some of the potato and corn mixture, then stuff in 6 oz. grated Monterey Jack cheese, divided.
• Try to close the peppers up as much as possible and place on a lined baking sheet.
• Bake peppers in a 350F oven for 15 minutes, then broil on high for another 3-4 minutes, until cheese is bubbling.
• Sprinkle with minced cilantro and serve.

Serves two-three

*Or skip this step and use leftover roasted or boiled potatoes. Potatoes are tender when a fork can easily be inserted.

**Whole mixture can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge.

***I find it easiest to do this by running the peppers under gently streaming cold water.