Iliana de la Vega, esteemed owner of the Austin restaurant El Naranjo, shares her ultimate potluck dish: “Rajas poblanas (poblano strips) is a vegetarian dish that goes beautifully with grilled meats or fish but also with rice and pasta. You can make tacos with it or even use the rajas as a filling for quesadillas and omelets.”
Rajas Poblanas
6 poblano chiles, seeds and veins removed
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 white onion, julienned
1 cup crema Mexicana
Salt, to taste
Corn tortillas
Cook’s tip If crema Mexicana is unavailable where you shop, making your own is simple. Combine 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon lime juice, and stir until smooth.
1. Preheat broiler. Place poblanos on a baking sheet. Roast under broiler, carefully flipping with tongs until charred on all sides, about 5 minutes. Place charred poblanos in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cooled enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
2. Remove skin from chiles. Slice them lengthwise into strips 1/2 inch thick.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion just until soft; do not brown.
4. Add the chile strips (rajas) and the crema Mexicana. Cook the chile mixture until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.
5. Serve immediately with warm corn tortillas.
Serves 6.
