As a vegetable farmer, I can or freeze a fair amount of food for our winter consumption. When the tomatoes and peppers are on, you will find me doing something for future use. Currently we are bombarded with peppers of all kinds. Poblanos, Hatch, jalapeños, pepperoncini and serranos. This week as I was grilling some poblano peppers for using in chili this winter, I thought why not use all this produce for something savory that won’t take a lot of time, yet has all the ingredients of one of my favorites, Chili Rellenos. Peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, we had it all on hand. I’ve been using the cast iron skillet that was handed down from my wife’s grandmother quite a bit lately. I love how it can go from stovetop, to oven to table (less dishes!). Bingo! I had our dinner plans.
Although I prefer to grill my peppers, you can also broil them in the oven on a sheet pan. Simply cut your peppers in half lengthwise and place them on a lightly oiled sheet pan, skin side up. Broil the poblanos about 15 minutes, until the skins char and blacken. They should puff up. Remove, place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until they cool slightly. Then peel off the skins and discard along with the seeds and stem.
INGREDIENTS:
6 roasted poblano peppers, peeled and seeded; cut into strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 jalapeños, minced
1 medium white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 fresh roma tomatoes, chopped or one 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 large eggs
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese or a combination of Monterey Jack and cheddar
Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
Sour cream for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion and jalapeño and saute them for about 5-6 minutes to soften.
Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, oregano, ancho powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-low, until the tomatoes soften up and the mixture becomes saucy. Scoop half of the sauce into a bowl.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In the same 12-inch skillet, layer half of the poblano strips and half of the cheese. Add the remaining sauce, then the remaining poblano strips, then half of the remaining cheese.
Next, beat the eggs and pour the eggs over the mixture over the top of the skillet. Add the remaining cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the eggs set and the cheeses are melted.
Remove and let set for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Serves 4-6
My favorite time of day is to get up and eat leftovers from dinner, especially spicy food. — David Byrne
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