Dinner Tonight: Poblanos with Potato and Oaxaca Cheese
The spicy chili sauce and potatoes part of this recipe seemed like a great way to zazz up tacos. At first, the type of cheese didn't seem important. I pulled a recipe from Recipe Gullet that said Monterey Jack would work just fine, so I casually looked around the Mexican market, not placing too much importance on the cheese.
Turns out the cheese does matter. If you can find the Oaxaca cheese: please, please go for it. While the taste mirrors Monterey Jack with a little more tang, it melts like fine mozzarella. It envelops this dish and tones down the heat, making it more of a cheesy potato dish than an abrasive pepper one.
Poblanos with Potato and Oaxaca Cheese
- serves 2 -
Ingredients
1/2 pound red potatoes, sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 poblano peppers
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces Oaxacan cheese (Monterey Jack will also work)
Salt
Procedure
1. Char the poblanos under the broiler, turning them every three minutes or so, until they have blackened on all sides. Remove the peppers, turn off the broiler, and place the peppers in a plastic bag. Let them steam for 15 minutes. Remove the skin and seeds, and roughly chop.
2. Meanwhile, place the sliced red potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water, a tablespoon of salt, and turn the heat to medium. Cook until the potatoes can be easily punctured with a fork. This will take about 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water the potatoes cook in.
3. Pour the reserved water into a blender. Also add the garlic and poblanos. Process the mixture until chunky.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Pour in the pepper mixture and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the potatoes to the mixture. Let cook for seven minutes, stirring to cover the potatoes in the sauce.
5. Shred the cheese and toss it in the skillet. Cover and continue to cook until it has melted, about a minute or so.
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6 Comments:
These sound SOOOOOOOOOOO delicious! Thanks for posting this recipe!
Brownie at 4:41PM on 07/22/08
Additionally, you should GO to Oaxaca for what I promise will be the best culinary experience of your life, cheese or otherwise. I know, I spent 9 months there and despite hours of walking each day managed to gain 20 pounds.
Unfortunately I also bought many cookbooks down there so the weight has yet to come off. :(
ReneeRobinson at 7:16PM on 07/22/08
this recipe is similar to a very tasty oaxacan classic, rajas con crema, first showed to me by one of my prep guys...slices of roasted poblanos with onions in cream.....
iwannacook at 9:13PM on 07/22/08
This looks delicious! I used to go to Oaxaca annually as a kid. They have the best cheese, and I took it for granted when I was 9 years old. Where did you find the cheese?
gillsnthrills at 1:34AM on 07/23/08
Thanks for the recipe! I'll be sure to try this one!
hungrychristel at 1:38PM on 07/23/08
I found the cheese at Danny's Fresh Market on Western....in Chicago. It's right on the edge of Logan Square and Bucktown. Most Mexican markets would have it, though.
Nick Kindelsperger at 8:52PM on 07/23/08