Papas Con Rajas Potatoes And Peppers Food

PAPAS CON RAJAS (POTATOES AND PEPPERS)

Steps:

• Boil potatoes whole in salted water until done.
• Put poblanos on a cookie sheet and broil until black. Turn and blacken on all sides. Remove poblanos and put right into a plastic bag and seal so no steam escapes. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet on medium high heat.
• Add onions and cook until wilted and slightly browned.
• Peel and cube cooked potatoes (about 1/2-inch cubes).
• Turn skillet temp up to high and add potaotes.
• You may need to add more oil. Potatoes tend to suck it all up and you want the potatoes to kind of "fry". You want to get some color on the potatoes, so stir and then let them cook and brown before stirring again. The potatoes will fall apart and kind of mash, but that's OK.
• Add lots of salt and some pepper to taste--do taste to make sure it is salty enough.
• Under running water, peel skins off of poblanos and remove stems and seeds.
• Coarsely chop poblanos.
• When potatoes have some nice color on them, add poblanos, garlic and queso fresco. Cook for another 5 minutes.
• Note: I use this as a filling for vegetarian tacos or for quesadillas, but they would be good as even a side dish or for breakfast instead of hashbrowns.

CRISPY POTATO RAJAS TACOS

Steps:

• For the potato rajas: Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook potatoes until just tender, about 6 to 8 minutes, being careful not to overcook. Drain, pat dry, and spread in a single layer on a tray to cool.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions with salt and pepper until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in red bell peppers and chiles. Pour in heavy cream, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook 4 minutes or until cream begins to thicken. Add grated cheeses and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until just heated through. Remove from heat.
• For the tacos: Heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees F in a large, deep pot or deep fryer. Dip tortillas briefly, one at a time, into the hot oil, just to soften. Spoon potato rajas mixture into center of each softened tortilla. Fold in half to enclose mixture and secure with a toothpick threaded through the top edge of the tortilla. Deep fry tacos for 3 to 5 minutes, until crispy and lightly golden. Remove and drain thoroughly.
• To serve, spoon Chipotle Crema onto four serving plates, spreading a bit to create a bed for the tacos. Place Crispy Potato Rajas Tacos on top of crema. Finish by topping with generous spoonfuls of Border Guacamole and Corn Relish and serve immediately.
• Combine ingredients thoroughly in a small mixing bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Chill until ready to use.
• Cut the avocados into quarters and place in a mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher or fork until chunky. Add the remaining ingredients and combine with a fork. Serve immediately.
• Heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the corn with the salt and pepper, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.
• Add diced peppers to the sauteed corn along with the scallions, red wine vinegar, and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Mix well and let sit 20 to 30 minutes to blend the flavors. Serve at room temperature.

LIGHT SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH ROASTED CHILES

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Put the poblano cut-side down on a baking sheet and broil until the skin is browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool 5 minutes. Peel the skin off the poblano under cold running water, then chop into small pieces.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring gently, until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Arrange half of the potato-broth mixture in the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle with half each of the roasted poblano and parmesan. Repeat with the remaining potato-broth mixture, poblano and parmesan. Bake until bubbly and slightly golden, about 35 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Thin some crema or sour cream with water and serve alongside for topping.

POTATOES WITH ROASTED POBLANO CHILES AND MEXICAN SOUR CREAM (PAPAS CON RAJAS Y CREMA ÁCIDA)

Steps:

• On an ungreased comal or in a cast-iron skillet over high heat, roast the chiles, turning them over every couple of minutes using tongs or your hands (carefully, so you don't get burned). You're looking for uniform blistering, but you don't want them to become too soggy in the process, especially if you intend to stuff them, since they need to hold their shape. The process will probably take 10 to 15 minutes. Once they are well blistered and before the flesh is completely charred through in any spots, place the peppers in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid or in a bowl that you can cover with a plate (not a towel or anything porous) and set aside to "sweat" for about 10 minutes, or until they are cool enough to handle.
• Remove the charred skin from the whole chiles. Once you have removed and discarded the skin and seeds, cut them into rajas, or strips, about the width of fettuccine.
• In a small saucepan, cover the potatoes with 2 inches / 5cm water and add the salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove one of the potatoes and taste it. The piece should be soft but not falling apart, still holding its cube shape. Cubed like this, they will cook quite quickly, so be attentive. Once they have the right texture, drain the potatoes and set aside in a medium bowl with a lid or cover the pan with a plate to keep them warm.
• Using the same comal or skillet in which you toasted your chiles, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it's hot but not smoking. Add the onion and sauté until it's translucent but not browned.
• In a saucepan, combine the potatoes, chiles, onion, and crema or crème fraîche. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. As the mixture cools, the starches will absorb some of the melted cream and help it firm up. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve as you wish!
• Do Ahead: These potatoes can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

PAPAS CON CHORIZO

Steps:

• Cook chorizo in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sausage turns a dark red, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove chorizo from the skillet and set aside.
• Melt bacon grease in the same skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add diced potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add diced onion and serrano pepper and continue cooking and stirring until potatoes are fork-tender, onion is translucent, and serrano pepper is soft, 2 to 6 more minutes. Add chorizo back into skillet and stir until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.