What We Eat When We Eat Alone - Deborah Madison [21]
2. Neatly peel the potatoes; cut them in half lengthwise and then into quarters lengthwise to make long pieces. Toss them with a teaspoon or two of oil and several pinches of salt so that they’re well coated but not dripping with oil. Make a single layer of potatoes in your dish and bake until a pale gold crust has formed and the flesh feels tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes.
3. Remove and sprinkle with chile, starting with 1⁄4 teaspoon and adding more, to taste; add additional salt, also to taste.
Grilled Cheese and Green Chile Sandwich
For fans of Southwestern flavors, it’s hard to find a better grilled cheese than one that includes a long, roasted green chile.
1 OR 2 ROASTED LONG GREEN CHILES OR POBLANO CHILES, BELOW
2 SLICES BREAD
GRATED OR SLICED CHEESE TO COVER, SUCH AS MONTERREY JACK OR MUENSTER
CHOPPED CILANTRO
BUTTER OR OLIVE OIL
1. Remove the stem, skin, and seeds from the roasted chile(s), then tear the flesh into long strips.
2. Cover one piece of bread with enough cheese to reach nearly to the edge. Add the chile, chopped cilantro, and more cheese. Top with the second piece of bread and brush with olive oil. Put it in a hot skillet and cook over medium-low heat until the bread is crisp and the cheese is melted. Press on it a few times with a spatula while it’s cooking. When golden brown on the bottom, turn it over and cook the second side until golden brown.
How to Roast Green Chile
Regardless of whether its sweet or hot, you can roast a pepper by turning on your burner, putting the pepper right in the flame, and leaving it there until the skin is charred. You’ll have to turn it this way and that to make sure the whole chile is hit with the flame. Drop it in a bowl and cover with a plate to steam for 10 minutes or longer. Next, pull off the charred skins (try to avoid just washing away the flavor under running water, which is easier), slit them, and scrape out the seeds unless you want more heat, in which case, leave them in.
Potato and Green Chile Stew
The Quaker cowboy selected mashed potatoes with green chile as one of his eat-alone dishes. This thick and hearty stew retains that timeless combination but is more of a main dish. You could mash it, if you like, or add another cup or two of liquid to turn it into a soup. The sour cream softens the chile’s heat and brings everything into a delicious and balanced mouthful.
1 OR 2 LONG GREEN CHILES OR POBLANO CHILES, ROASTED AND PEELED (SEE GRILLED CHEESE AND GREEN CHILE SANDWICH)
1 TABLESPOON SUNFLOWER SEED OIL OR OTHER VEGETABLE OIL
1 SMALL ONION, DICED
1⁄2 TEASPOON GROUND CORIANDER
1⁄4 TEASPOON GROUND CUMIN
1 GARLIC CLOVE, MINCED
1 LARGE RUSSET OR 5 SMALLER POTATOES (A SCANT POUND) PEELED AND CHOPPED INTO 11⁄2-INCH CHUNKS
SALT AND PEPPER
1 CUP WATER OR CHICKEN STOCK
SOUR CREAM TO FINISH
CHOPPED CILANTRO TO FINISH
1. Chop the chiles coarsely. Heat the oil in a wide pot; add the onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, garlic, and potatoes, followed by the chile along with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and give a stir. Cook together for a few minutes, then add the water or stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
2. Cover and cook until the potatoes are completely softened, about 25 minutes. Taste for salt and season with pepper. At this point you can mash the potatoes, or at least a few of them to give the dish a creamy sort of background, if desired.
3. Pour into a bowl; add a dollop of sour cream and the chopped cilantro.
Tomatillo Salsa
This is enough tangy green sauce to assemble chilaquiles verdes for the course of a week, which is great if you’re the kind of person who likes to eat the same thing over and over. Make half as much if that thought doesn’t appeal to you.
2 POUNDS TOMATILLOS
2 OR MORE JALAPEÑOS (DEPENDING ON WHETHER THEY’RE HOT), STEMMED AND QUARTERED, SEEDS