Recently I have been experimenting with Southwestern and Tex-Mex flavors, discovering new ingredients and re-discovering old favorites. One of my all-time favorites is Poblano chile. This is a relatively mild pepper, but when roasted, it offers a wonderful smoky and earthy taste while still retaining the bright flavors of a bell pepper. In today's recipe, I combined poblanos with cheddar and caramelized onions to create a very unique and delicious soufflé.
Ingredients:
1 large poblano pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 onion, minced
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk, warmed
2 yolks
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
Additional butter
Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt
Cayenne pepper
4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
Directions:
Broil poblanos until blackened for about 5-8 minutes, then remove the skin and seeds, and chop finely.
In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the onions for about 2 minutes. Place the onions and poblanos in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Butter four ramekins and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, shaking the access off. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
In a small pot or pan, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the flour. Turn the heat to very low and gradually whisk in the milk until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Cool for 1 minute. Whisk in the yolks, one at a time, then cheese and the poblano-onion mixture.
In a bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cheese and poblano mixture.
Fill each ramekin about three quarters full. Place on a baking rack. Bake for about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
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I would like to thank Phyllis at Me Hungry and Mira at Glancing Thru My Crystal Ball for giving me a Sisterhood Award and Girlichef for the Excellent Award. Please check out their fabulous blogs! I share these awards with all my foodie friends!
