Sunday, July 18, 2010

Pass me the Pasilla... Chile that is.

Sometimes two basic and simple ingredients are all you need to make a phenomenally delicious dish.  This happens to be one of them. 
It takes a few steps, but it's smokey, it's rich, it's soft, it's delicate and most of all it's... everyone together now... YUM!!!!! 

Pasilla con Queso

6 Pasilla Chiles

1/2  Package Cotija Cheese
1/2  Package Queso Fresco

Smoke your Pasilla Chiles either over the BBQ or if you want the easy way out, throw them directly over your gas cooktop and char away!!! Make sure you get a black char on the outside... don't be afraid... the smokier/ more charred the better!!! 


Place in a plastic grocery store bag and tie it in a knot.  Let them sit for 15-20 minutes... (this is a really important step! Don't skip it!)  



Crumble both cheeses together and combine well. 

Remove the charred skin from the Chile on the outside.  Cut a slit down the middle and make an opening.  Remove the inner seeds completely. 


Stuff with a fair amount of the cheese blend. 

Cook in the oven on 425 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 

**sidenote** 
The purpose of putting the Chiles into the plastic bag and knotting it is to allow the pepper to steam... the steam will do 2 fold, it will #1, help the Chiles to cook and soften a bit more with out making them soggy so they still have that "bite" and #2 most importantly the steam will help release the skin and char from the outside easily so that when you go to peel it the skin will just fall right off! 


1 comment:

  1. Wow, Chef Michelle ... Simple instructions and explanations for kitchen chemistry, PLUS design of your website is lush and highly legible! Is there a "Print" button somewhere for 8.5x11" formatted text?

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