Some switch seems to have been flipped since I spent a few days in Mexico. Previously, I merely tolerated heat and hot peppers, craved them rarely - perhaps in the odd hot & sour soup or the bimonthly curry over on Lexington and 28th. I've never owned a bottle of hot sauce or spent time dreaming about making my own harissa. My father's the heat nut in the family, eating spicy food until he starts to sweat, shaking Korean pepper over his dinner plate every night. I've always preferred a milder meal.
But now? I seem to have been bitten by the same bug. It's all I can think about: how to make my dinner as hot as I can possibly take it. My pantry isn't up to snuff, though, with cayenne and a few dried chiles de arbol being the only sources of true heat in our home. That hasn't stopped me - I've been spicing up everything from pureed squash to collard greens like I'm making up for lost time. Which, I suppose, I am. Tingling lips, a runny nose, the flush of heat that starts around your jawline and works its way upward (or is it the other way around?), I love it all and I want more.
On the advice of the Internets and a commenter, we went to Taqueria Coatzingo in Jackson Heights for lunch on Saturday and I was actually pretty disappointed. Perhaps we didn't order well, but my two carne asada tacos were sort of limp and flabby and overfilled. Ben's enchiladas verdes looked just like they have in every other New York Mexican restaurant we've been to: pallid and oily and absolutely nothing special. But that's okay - I'm now even more motivated to just figure out Mexican food for myself at home.
Luckily, last week my CSA obliged, providing me with my first four poblano chiles. At home, I put them under the broiler and watched carefully as the dark green skin raised and blistered, turning black and wrinkly and fragrant. Working quickly, I deseeded the peppers (I didn't think I'd need gloves, after all, poblanos are really quite mild, but there was still some stinging, so I rubbed my hands with a cut lemon and that seemed to take care of things, even later when I had to remove my contacts) and cut them into strips.
The peppers weren't slick and oily like the roasted bell peppers that I've grown up making. They were drier and firmer, had more structure. Following a recipe in this charming cookbook, I cooked the poblano strips with onions until they were fragrant, then doused the pan with a bit of milk and turned the heat down low. The vegetables mellowed and softened even more and started picking up a deliciously brown coating from the evaporating milk.
A spoonful or two of creme fraiche swirled in at the end barely coated the peppers and onions with a thin, creamy film. The recipe says that you can eat these with scrambled eggs or in a taco, along with some other suggestions, but I found them so irresistible that I simply plopped a tangle of them on my plate along with a dollop of pureed squash (a Kabocha, roasted until dry and soft, then pureed with salt and more creme fraiche. I let the oven get a little too hot, so it burned in places and actually tasted sweet and caramelly next to the peppers).
Eaten in the office, with my feet propped up on the desk, looking out the window at the black and starry Queens night, I felt like I literally tasted my world expanding. And not to get too serious on you here, but this is really one of the reasons why I love food and cooking so much: a whole other world, a whole new culture opens up to you once you start exploring its culinary traditions. I don't know much about Mexico and I'm so impatient to get back there and learn more, but in the meantime, I'm going to get acquainted the easiest way I know how, through the recipes and stories I'll find in my kitchen. I can scarcely contain my excitement when I start thinking about the discoveries.
Oh, and I should let you know, since I started this post out on such a hot and spicy kick, this dish really is pretty mild, almost even soothing. Every now and again, you'll get a bite that warms the inside of your mouth, but on the whole this is a pretty easygoing dish. Just so you know. I'm sure I'll try to make this again and eat it with eggs or tortillas, but I'm not promising I'll be able to restrain myself from just eating them plain right then and there.
And now I'm off to daydream about hot sauces and dried chiles, cayenne and Aleppo pepper, capsaicin and the Scoville heat scale. My father will be so proud.
Rajas con Crema
Serves 4
4 fresh poblano chiles
1/2 white onion
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon Mexican crema or creme fraiche
2 epazote leaves, chopped (optional)
1. Char the chiles over a gas flame or on a very hot grill until blackened. While still hot, wrap in paper towels to steam and cool. Remove the stem and seeds and rub off all the blackened skin and clinging seeds with the edge of a spoon or the paper towels. (Don't wash them; much of the flavor goes down the drain.) Don't worry if a little skin remains. If you want a milder taste, remove the ribs inside the chiles. Cut into lengthwise strips 3/4 inch wide.
2. Cut the onion into thin strips, from the stem to root instead of across (they hold their shape better this way).
3. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a heavy frying pan and cook the onion and peppers together for 5 minutes, stirring often.
4. When the onion is softened, pour the milk over the vegetables and cook very slowly until it is evaporated. Season with salt to taste. (Can be made head to this point and refrigerated; reheat before serving.)
5. Just before serving, stir in the crema or creme fraiche and epazote, if using. Serve hot.
Now that you've jumped this critical hurdle (and oh, could I be happier? for you? for me?) you have to, next time you're in CA, drive up to Santa Barbara and have the rajas tacos at La Superrica (taqueria lauded by Julia Child, among others.) The lines are a pain in the butt, but the food is delicious.
Posted by: Paige | October 09, 2007 at 11:58 AM
Yes, the west coast is calling!
I love what you wrote about getting to explore an entire new culture and cuisine--so true. I'm currently fascinated with Persian food and am longing for more kitchen time to investigate further. So much fun.
Posted by: Tea | October 09, 2007 at 12:45 PM
Those peppers look absolutely delicious. I'm glad you're jumping on the Mexican food bandwagon. I'm going to put something up on my site this week that you will love.
Posted by: mary | October 09, 2007 at 01:21 PM
Isn't Mexican food amazing? You're right to explore the non-burritos of their culinary world....there are so many intense flavors out there, and few are based around the gloppy, cheese-laden refried beans of many Americanized Mexican restaurants. I can almost taste the contrast of the charred peppers with the sweet kabocha. You're making me hungry!
Posted by: tokyoastrogirl | October 09, 2007 at 02:18 PM
I think I'll try to sneak this past my "I don't like anything spicy" husband. It sounds like it will be mild enough to get past him. And I've never tried anything remotely in the way of Mexican cooking.
Thanks for the recipe!
Posted by: Deborah | October 09, 2007 at 03:20 PM
Yes! I love that (not at all) too serious paragraph. It's what I've been thinking about so much lately. The way a whole new world can open up with a single bite - that's one of my favorite things about food.
Posted by: Leah | October 09, 2007 at 03:30 PM
Welcome to the wonderful world of spicy food! I've been a fan of spicy food for awhile now...you should try a bowl of spicy Tom Kha from a Thai restaurant! It has the best of both worlds: sweet coconut milk packed with a lot of heat!
Posted by: Hillary | October 09, 2007 at 05:10 PM
Luisa- Like I said before, Welcome to land of Mexican food love!! I swear I feel like doing the sorority-girl squeal of happiness for you! Your new pepper & spice inspired recipes look just fabulous. You are going to be in continuous awe as you delve deeper into Mexican cuisine. It's so much more than most Americans give it credit for. You are in for quite the ride!
Enjoy!
Erin
Posted by: EB of Spice Dish | October 09, 2007 at 07:24 PM
Your dish looks luscious! I don't think you'll find anything like it at Taco Bell -that's for sure! I'll bet those poblanos would go really well with churrasco steak. Ooooh....I can taste it already! One question, though. What are epazote leaves and where do you find them?
Posted by: stickygooeycreamychewy | October 09, 2007 at 09:14 PM
I'm so excited for as you embark on this journey--reading about your discoveries is making me fall in love with Mexican food all over again! And now that you've been converted, next time you puree some orange squash why not mix in a chopped chipotle and some adobo? It's fiery and smoky and I bet you'll love it!
Posted by: Lisa (Homesick Texan) | October 09, 2007 at 11:14 PM
Boy, you jump right in, don't you? Good for you. Just a word of caution - poblanos are notorious for variation on the Scoville index.(noticed you were showing off your new found knowledge). They may be mild one time and much hotter the next.
Chipotles are the current vogue - they are showing up in everything. They are wonderful, smoky and HOT so start out carefully. You can get a small can and once opened, store in a small jar (like Grey Poupon) in the frig - they keep very well. They come "in adobo" which is like a potent tomato sauce.
As Lisa mentioned, they will add a new dimension to many dishes.
Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions - be glad to help with your new venture.
Posted by: Larry | October 10, 2007 at 08:01 AM
Paige - oho, yes, this one's on my list for sure. I really should just move to SoCal, shouldn't I? :)
Tea - oooh, and Persian food is such a good one to explore, I think. So delicious and interesting and beautiful to look at... I still think about the tahdig rice crust that my high school boyfriend's mother used to make...
Mary - the excitement! When when when?
Ann - ha! That put a smile on my face.
Deborah - I think this is a good place to start, then. Hope he likes it (and you!).
Leah - I'm so glad you agree :)
Hillary - oops, I didn't mean to imply that I've never eaten spicy things before (Tom Kha is one of my favorites), just that it wasn't something I actively thought about while lying awake at night. You know how an obsession gets? :)
Erin - squeee! I'm so excited too. What fun.
STGC - epazote is a Mexican herb that's quite strongly flavored. If you don't like cilantro, apparently you really won't like epazote, but this is advice coming from a friend of mine - I've never actually tried it. We had some in the CSA box last year, but I swapped mine for tomatoes or something.
Lisa - I did that the other night with chipotles left over from Diana Kennedy's meatballs and a butternut squash we picked up upstate. Delicious... (Though cayenne in squash is also making me happy these days, along with a glug of maple syrup and some salt.)
Larry - thank you, my friend! I've got a little glass storage jar of chipotles in adobo in my fridge and am brainstorming about every possible place to squeeze them in. Yum.
Posted by: Luisa | October 10, 2007 at 08:22 AM
By looking at this recipe, I'd say epazote is pretty critical to tie the flavors together. Yes, like cilantro it's an acquired taste. And like cilantro you've got to use fresh not dried. (It's easy to grow.) It's hard to describe the flavor... somewhat medicinal, back-of-the-throat. Maybe like a really weird Bay Leaf? I think if you don't have it, any fresh herb will do--but it will change the dish considerably obviously.
Posted by: Jonathan Kandell | October 10, 2007 at 09:54 AM
Oh, I could just wax rhapsodic about aleppo pepper. Though it's more smoky-sweet-spicy than fiercely hot, which is how I like my spices. Also, chile peppers are very easy to grow in small pots on your windowsill (they sell them at the greenmarket), thereby ensuring you an ongoing supply of jalapenos/habaneros.
Posted by: Mercedes | October 10, 2007 at 10:05 AM
Jonathan - actually, the author quite explicitly says in her headnotes that epazote is not for anyone and that it's optional in the recipe. I certainly didn't miss it - the peppers were absolutely delicious.
Mercedes - I need to get my hands on some... Penzeys?
Posted by: Luisa | October 10, 2007 at 10:10 AM
This looks fantastic! And I love that you paired it with kabocha squash -- one of my absolute favorites.
Posted by: Dana | October 10, 2007 at 11:05 AM
Once you fall in love with spicy food, you'll never be able to go without it for very long. There are so many wonderful spicy condiments: harissa is just the beginning!
Posted by: Lydia | October 10, 2007 at 06:20 PM
Kalustyan's Aleppo pepper is excellent also.
Posted by: Mercedes | October 11, 2007 at 08:59 AM
True story, I just made a batch of rajas last night after non-stop day dreaming of the version served at La Super Rica in Santa Barbara. I used a Rick Bayless recipe and pasilla chilies instead of pobalnos, and truly, it was heaven on a plate!
Posted by: Hillary | October 11, 2007 at 05:35 PM
Dana - I cannot get enough of Kabocha squash, isn't it the best? I swear I could eat it every week in winter...it's just so heavy to schlephome!
Lydia - thrillingggg! :)
Mercedes - oh, good point. I haven't stopped in there in a while.
Hillary - yum! isn't it funny how a dish can just get stuck in your head like that? You west coasters are killing me with the Super Rica envy! :)
Posted by: Luisa | October 12, 2007 at 08:38 AM
Great that you have discovered heat (hot spices)! Congrats. My dad introduced me to heat too but I took happily to it at a young age.
I'd like to recommend that you go to New Mexico if you haven't been there yet and investigate New Mexican cuisine (after you have immersed yourself in Mexican cuisine). I learned about it when I moved there and though it is lesser-known, it is an awesome cuisine and well-worth knowing. It's even spicier so you kind of have to build up to it.
Posted by: fleur | October 12, 2007 at 07:56 PM
Hi.
Thanks for this recipe...I have always wanted to make it. FYI - when you are in LA next take a short trip to Montrose and try the ones served at La Cabanita - the best I have had to date! Enjoy the weekend.
Posted by: Petra | October 13, 2007 at 12:03 AM
I couldn't stop thinking about this dish. I made it tonight and served it on top of some nice strip steaks. It was sublime! (It was really good mixed into the mashed potatoes too.) Thank you for the recipe.
Posted by: StickyGooeyCreamyChewy | October 14, 2007 at 11:30 PM
I don't think you can get poblano chiles in the UK, what would be the next best thing to use instead? I realise they are the main element of the dish but it sounds lovely, so a vaguely-similar dish might nice too :)
Posted by: Vanessa | October 18, 2007 at 01:43 PM
Fleur - I have a good friend from NM who is always waxing rhapsodic about the food there. Need to get myself invited for a trip, I think!
Petra - Ooh, it's on the list, thanks for the recommendation! The next time I'm out there, I'll visit or sure.
SGCC - so glad you liked this! Your way of serving them sounded amazing.
Vanessa - I searched far and wide online, and I'm afraid I didn't see any good substitutes for poblanos. What you could do is use a combination of regular green Holland peppers and some of those long, thin, paler green Italian peppers for some heat instead of the poblanos. Of course, the texture won't be the same, and you'll have to watch the peppers a little more carefully since they're more delicate than the poblanos, but it's worth trying.
Posted by: Luisa | October 22, 2007 at 10:33 AM