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Dolores Introduces Authentic Regional Cooking of Oaxaca and Puebl...
Chef/owners Maria and Joaquin Meza, Dolores, Providence
We love this authentic recipe from Puebla in southern Mexico for its versatility and depth of flavor. Feel free to play around with the ingredients as the seasons change—there is no right or wrong when it comes to the fillings. The quesillo cheese from Oaxaca is much like fresh mozzarella so, if needed, you could use that as a substitute.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 6 as an appetizer (or 4 for a main course) Serving(s)
- 12 large, fresh poblano chilis
- Vegetable oil for cooking and frying
Fruit filling
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 fresh tomato, seeded and diced
- 3 tablespoons chopped almonds
- 3 tablespoons raisins
- 1 green apple, cored and diced
- 1 firm red apple, cored and diced
- 1 fresh peach, pitted and diced
- ½ plantain, peeled and diced
- 1 Bosc pear, cored and diced
- ½ teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
Corn filling
- 2–3 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off the cobs
- 1½ cups shredded quesillo cheese (available at Casa Mexico market) or substitute fresh mozzarella
Coating
- 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 4 egg whites
- Flour for dredging
- Guisado*
Preparation
First, roast the poblano chilis over direct flame of a gas stove, under the broiler or on a grill until skin is blackened. Place blackened peppers in a paper or plastic bag to trap heat (this will make them easier to peel). Once cool, peel skin, carefully make a split down the center of each pepper (so they can be stuffed), remove seeds and set peppers aside.
To make the fruit filling, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic until softened, add tomato and cook 3 minutes. Add almonds, raisins, apples, peach and sauté until fruit is softened. Add plantain and pear and cook until softened, then add fresh herbs. Add fresh pepper to taste. Remove from heat and place mixture in a bowl to cool.
Wipe the skillet, add 1 teaspoon oil and sauté the corn until golden light brown around edges. Season with salt. Remove from heat to cool. When corn is completely cool, toss in a small bowl with cheese.
Fill 6 peppers with the fruit filling and then tie with a piece of thin butcher’s twine (or use toothpicks) to secure the opening. Fill the remaining 6 peppers with corn and quesillo cheese mixture and tie to secure.
In a large bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently add the yolks until just evenly incorporated.
In a large cast-iron skillet heat 1½-inches vegetable oil on high heat until oil shimmers. (Test heat with a drop of batter—it should sizzle when it hits the oil.)
While the oil is heating, dredge stuffed chilis in flour and set out on a tray. As you are ready to add them to the skillet, coat each chili with whipped egg whites. Cook 3 or 4 chilis at a time so they don’t overcrowd in the hot oil. Once lightly browned on the bottom, gently flip chilis to cook evenly, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Set cooked chilis in a warm place atop paper towels while you cook remaining chilis.
To serve, divide warm tomato guisado among 6 shallow bowls. In each bowl, place 1 fruit stuffed chili and 1 corn stuffed chili atop the sauce.
*Guisado:
In a large pot of simmering water, cook tomatoes until soft, about 5 minutes. Slice 1 thin round of onion, set aside and roughly chop the remaining piece. Remove tomatoes from water (save cooking water) and purée with raw chopped onion and garlic. Add purée to a heated sauté pan with reserved sliced onion, bay leaf and salt. Bring to boil, then simmer 10 minutes, adding a few spoonfuls of tomato cooking water if needed. Remove onion and bay leaf before serving. Can be made several days in advance and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.
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