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MANCHEGO AND POBLANO SOUP

SERVES 6

14 poblano chiles, stemmed and seeded

½ medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups whole milk

1 cup grated Manchego cheese (or Monterey Jack cheese)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup diced Manchego cheese (or Monterey Jack cheese)

1 medium russet potato, boiled, peeled, and cut into cubes

3 corn tostadas (see Tips), grilled and broken into pieces

Manchego, a mild-flavored Spanish cheese, makes this classic Mexican soup a hit. As good as this is when served as a starter, it is also great paired with water crackers for the perfect pre-dinner snack or boiled down until thickened and transformed into an alfredo-like sauce for pasta or poultry. All told, you need to buy about 3 ounces Manchego for this recipe.

Bring a medium-size heavy saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the poblanos and cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain the poblanos and transfer them to a blender. Add the onion, garlic, and ¼ cup water. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly (do not brown). Reduce the heat to medium and whisk in the chile mixture. Cook, whisking, for 4 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Whisk in the milk. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, whisking every minute or so to prevent scorching, for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Whisk in the grated Manchego cheese. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the soup to bowls, and top with the diced cheese and the potato cubes, and then with the tostadas.

CHILLED AVOCADO SOUP WITH SCALLOPS

* SERVES 6 TO 8

3 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup diced white onion

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

Salt

4 firm but ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled

2 cups chicken broth

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Freshly ground black pepper

6 to 8 jumbo scallops

½ cup Mexican crema or crème fraîche, whisked to soften

Avocado gives this dairy-free soup its creamy texture. For a super-sophisticated presentation, serve it in chilled martini glasses and garnish each one with a drizzle of Mexican crema or crème fraîche. If you prefer a soup with a thinner consistency, add water until it’s exactly the way you like it.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and serrano chile and sauté for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Put the avocados in a blender. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, cilantro, and onion mixture. Puree until smooth. Blend in 2 cups water. Strain the soup into a large bowl, and season it to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours.

Sprinkle the scallops all over with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, sear the scallops for 1 minute per side, or until just cooked through.

Pour the chilled soup into individual bowls. Top each serving with a scallop, and drizzle with the crema.

GRILLED CORN AND POBLANO POTATO SALAD

SERVES 6

2 pounds medium red-skinned potatoes

3 ears fresh corn, husks removed

2 poblano chiles, charred, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

1 cup chopped scallions (white and pale green parts only)

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

This is great served with grilled flank steak and ice-cold beer or lemonade. Stuck indoors? A grill pan for the corn yields an equally delicious summer salad.

Put the potatoes in a large pot and add salted water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly.

Meanwhile, prepare