Chili Poblano Polenta Food

CLASSIC CHILI POBLANO RELLENOS

Steps:

• Roast the chiles:.
• Roast the chilies by broiling three to five minutes on each side. The skin will begin to char and get black spots. Remove, cool a minute or two, then wrap in plastic wrap and let it sit five minutes. Remove the wrap and peel chilies.
• Keep the broiler on.
• Carefully cut a lengthwise slit into each chile and stuff with some cheddar cheese. Combine the flour, salt and pepper and dredge the chiles.
• In a large saucepan, heat 1/2" of shortening till very hot.
• Fold the egg yolks into the whites and working with 2 chiles at a time, dip the chiles into the egg batter and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, no more than a couple of minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer the chiles (careful--they are delicate) to paper towels to drain.
• Arrange the chiles on a flameproof plate and sprinkle with sharp cheddar. Broil the chiles just long enough to melt the cheese.
• Serve immediately, accompanied by your favorite salsa. Enjoy!

PORK AND POBLANO GREEN CHILI POT

Steps:

• Char the poblano peppers all over by placing the peppers on stovetop burners or under a hot broiler until black, turning frequently. Place the charred peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam them as they cool. Rub the skins off the poblanos and jalapenos with paper towel or peel by hand, then seed the peppers and chop.
• Meanwhile, heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a medium-size Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onions and sweat 10 minutes then add the garlic and tomatillos and cook 10 minutes more; season with salt and pepper. Place the cooked onion-tomatillo mixture in a food processor with cilantro, cumin, honey, and puree. Add the puree back to the Dutch oven, then stir in the chopped peppers and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low for the flavors to combine. Slice and finely chop the cooked pork and stir into the chili. When the soup returns to a bubble, turn off the stove, cool completely and store for make-ahead meal.
• To reheat the chili: Place in covered pot over medium heat and cook until the pork comes to a bubble, stir in the juice of 1 lime and turn off the heat. Slice the remaining lime into wedges and serve alongside the chili.
• For the cheesy polenta: In medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock and milk to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, stirring until the polenta just pulls from the side of the pot. Stir in the Manchego cheese and serve warm.

CHILI POBLANO POLENTA

Steps:

• Cut roasted, peeled chilies into thick slices; combine chili, water and whipping cream in a blender; blend until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a saucepan; heat to a boil; add the butter, salt and pepper.
• Slowly stir in the polenta; turn the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the polenta grains have softened, about 3 minutes.
• Serve with a dollop of the crema as a garnish.
• Note: to roast chilies, hold with a fork over a gas flame to blacken skin on all sides; place in a paper bag or bowl covered with plastic wrap until cool; remove stem, skin and seeds.
• You can also roast them over an outdoor grill.

SPICY PORK CHILI WITH CUMIN POLENTA

Steps:

• Make the chili: heat 2 tablespoons oil in a big, heavy, deep-sided pot set over med-high heat.
• When hot, add onion and carrots; saute, stirring, for 5 minutes.
• Add in serrano peppers; cook 1 minute.
• Remove pan from heat and spoon ingredients onto a plate; set aside; reserve pot.
• Put pork in a large ziplock plastic bag; add flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper; seal bag and shake well to coat pork with flour.
• Return pot to med-high heat and add 2-3 more tablespoons oil, or enough to coat the bottom of pan lightly.
• When hot enough, add enough floured pork cubes to fit comfortably in a single layer in pan (do not crowd); brown pork, turning, for 3-4 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to paper towels to drain; repeat with remaining pork, adding more oil as needed.
• Return all browned pork to pan and add garlic.
• Cook and toss 1 minute.
• Return reserved onion, carrots, and peppers to pan.
• Add tomatoes, lime juice, and broth.
• Bring mixture to simmer, then decrease heat.
• Simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes, then cover and cook until meat is quite tender, about 50-60 minutes.
• Taste chili and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
• **Chili can be prepared 2 days ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate; reheat over medium heat.
• To make polenta: combine 4 cups stock and the cumin in a large, heavy saucepan set over med-high heat.
• When stock begins to boil, decrease heat and gradually (in a thin stream) whisk in cornmeal.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to thicken, for 6-8 minutes or less.
• Stir in butter and milk; taste and add salt, as needed.
• **Polenta can be made up to 2 days ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate; reheat over low heat, stirring constantly and adding additional stock, as needed, until polenta is desired texture.
• To serve--spoon a generous 1/2 cup polenta into 6 shallow soup bowls.
• Ladle pork chili over polenta and sprinkle each portion with some cilantro.
• Garnish with a lime wedge.

POLENTA-STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat broiler. On a rimmed broiler-proof baking sheet, toss the tomatoes, onion, and oil; turn the tomatoes cut-side down. Place the peppers on the sheet, cut-side down. Broil until tender and charred, stirring the onions and turning the tomatoes and peppers halfway through, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Heat oven to 400°F In a food processor, puree the tomatoes, onion, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth. Spread half the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the peppers in the dish, cut-side up.
• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/4 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the corn, cheese, and all but 2 tablespoons of the scallions.
• Divide the polenta among the peppers. Top with the remaining sauce and bake until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions before serving.

MEXICAN-STYLE CHILI WITH POLENTA SQUARES

Steps:

• Coat a 9" square baking pan with cooking spray. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil with salt. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 cup water and cornmeal. Gradually stir into boiling water until mixture has thickened, about 1 minute. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Place in refrigerator to firm up, at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add beans with their liquid, tomato sauce, chili powder, and cumin; stir to combine. Bring slowly to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Remove polenta from the refrigerator and cut into 16 squares. Coat a large griddle or frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until hot. Add polenta squares, in batches if necessary, and cook, turning, until lightly browned on both sides, about 6 minutes total.
• To serve, spoon chili into 8 individual bowls. Top each bowl with 2 polenta squares and sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese.

CHILI POBLANO PIE

Steps:

• If making Crema Fresca equivalent, mix cream and sour cream in medium bowl. Cover and let stand at room temperature until thickened, 8 hours or overnight. Chill until ready to use.
• Char chilies over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides.
• Wrap in plastic bag and let stand 10 minutes to steam.
• Peel and core chilies;slit one side lengthwise to open.
• Remove seeds;rinse if necessary, pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Generously butter 9-inch pie pan with 2-inch sides (preferably porcelain or stoneware).
• Open up chilies and arrange around sides of pan, skin sides down with point toward center of pan, extending 1/2 inch above rim.
• Repeat with remaining chilies, covering sides of pan completely.
• Cover bottom of pie pan with remaining chilies.
• Finely grate cheese with onion and garlic in processor using on/off turns, about 30 seconds.
• Add eggs and salt and process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of work bowl,about 15 seconds.
• Mix in Crema Fresca; pour filling over chilies and curl edges of chilies over filling.
• Bake until pie is golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Cover chili edges with foil to prevent burning, if necessary.
• Let cool 5 minutes before cutting.
• Serve hot or at room temperature.

SMOKED PAPRIKA SHRIMP/POBLANO POLENTA/RED PEPPER-AGAVE SAUCE

Steps:

• FOR THE RED PEPPER-AGAVE SAUCE:
• Heat oil in small skillet on medium heat.
• Add onion; cook and stir 2 minutes or until softened.
• Add agave nectar; cook and stir 1 minute or until onion starts to caramelize.
• Place roasted bell peppers, chicken stock, heavy cream, tomato paste and onion mixture in blender or food processor; cover.
• Puree until smooth.
• Spoon bell pepper mixture into medium saucepan.
• Bring to boil on medium heat.
• Cook 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
• Keep warm.
• FOR THE POBLANO POLENTA:.
• Bring milk and sea salt to simmer in heavy 2-quart saucepan on medium heat; whisking constantly, add polenta in thin stream.
• Stirring frequently, cook 10 minute.
• Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat & stir in butter, corn, cheese and chile until well mixed.
• Keep warm.
• FOR THE SMOKED PAPRIKA SHRIMP:.
• Toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
• Sprinkle with smoked paprika, sea salt and pepper.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat.
• Add shrimp; cook and stir 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.
• TO SERVE:.
• Spoon Poblano Polenta onto each plate.
• Drizzle Red Pepper-Agave Sauce around polenta.
• Arrange Smoked Paprika Shrimp on sauce.
• Sprinkle with green onions.
• *To roast the bell peppers and the Poblano chile on a gas stove-top, cook the peppers directly over a medium-high gas flame until blackened on all sides, turning with tongs. Transfer peppers and chile to a paper bag. Close bag. Let stand 15 minutes or until peppers are cool enough to handle. Peel off blackened skin. Remove tops, ribs and seeds.
• **To roast the bell peppers and the Poblano chile under the broiler, preheat broiler. Halve and core the peppers. Remove the tops, ribs and seeds. Place the pepper halves on a baking sheet, cut-side down. Broil 5 to 7 minutes or until the skin has blistered and blackened over the entire surface. Transfer to a paper bag. Close bag. Let stand 15 minutes or until peppers are cool enough to handle. Peel off blackened skin.

POLENTA WITH GREEN CHILES AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees; Butter an 8x8x2-inch baking dish.
• Mix milk, Water, cornmeal, garlic, and salt in a heavy saucepan, bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook until polenta is thickened, stirring often, 12 to 15 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste; stir in Parmesan cheese.
• Pour half of polenta into prepared dish; cover with half of the chilies and half of corn, sprinkle with half of the cilantro and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese; drizzle with 1/4 cup of cream.
• REPEAT; Spoon remaining polenta over and cover with remaining chilies, corn, cilantro and cheese, pour the other 1/4 cup cream over top.
• Bake until polenta puffs and cheese begins to brown, about 25 minutes; cut into squares and serve.