PEPPERS - POBLANO

Poblanos are my favorite pepper. Their flavor is so unique - when green, they’re like a smoky green pepper with the slightest hint of spice - when ripe, their color changes to the most beautiful chocolate cherry color and the flavor sweetens. Ripe poblanos, when smoked, are what is known as the ancho pepper. We love cooking our poblanos - green or ripe - on an open flame, charring the skin and then peeling it off to add the flesh to salsas, guacamole, tacos, or burger patties before they’re cooked.

STORAGE: Even though most refrigerators are a few degrees colder than the ideal temperature for peppers, we find that these veggies stay crisper inside the fridge inside a closed container or plastic bag, rather than out on the counter. To extend the harvest, cut and freeze, or roast on an open flame, remove blackened skin, and add to salsa.

PRESERVATION: Cut and freeze, or roast on flame, peel, and freeze the roasted peppers.

RECIPES:

Fire Roasted Poblanos

• Whole Poblanos

• Fire

• Paper Bag

Get a good fire going and once you have some hot coals, put a rack over the fire and put the poblanos on the rack. Let them blister, turning once and checking often. Depending on how hot the coals are, they should blacken in 5-10 minutes. Once the skins are blistered all over, grab them with tongs and put them in the paper bag, rolling or folding it to trap the steam inside. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, use your fingers to peel the peppers (the skin should come off real nice) and pull the seeds and stem out. Use in salsa, guacamole, blend and add to the top of hummus or baba ganoush, or add to chili or nachos.