It forever bogles my mind why U.S. grocers label poblano chile peppers as pasilla peppers. They are not the same item. A poblano chile is a mild pepper generally dark green in color, 3-6 inches in length and 2-3 inches in width. The dried version is called ancho or chile ancho. A pasilla chile, however, is long and narrow with wrinkled skin and is mild to medium hot and are usually used in sauces. Poblano’s are commonly used by stuffing and coating them in a dish known as chile relleno.
I love using poblano chile peppers in sauces and in a southwestern version of mac’n’cheese. They also lend a wonderful flavor in creating a creamy smokey soup. That is what I am sharing today; my recipe for Creamy Poblano Soup garnished with Pepper Jack Chips.
To make the soup, you need to roast the peppers and then remove their skin and seeds. This process can be done early in the day or the day ahead if you are pressed for time. You can roast them on the stove, under the broiler or on the barbecue, which is my favorite way.
The result you get is a subtle, yet flavor packed creamy soup that is hard to resist! The taste is different than anything you’ve ever had. This soup pairs beautifully with any southwestern or Mexican fare meals as well as pork and chicken dishes. It also makes a perfectly splendid light supper accompanied with a Mexican Caesar Salad with a Cilantro Pepita Dressing!
CREAMY POBLANO SOUP GARNISHED WITH PEPPER JACK CHIPS
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 roasted, diced poblano peppers, seeds and membranes removed
- 2 medium onions, diced
- ½ carrot, diced
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
- 1 large white potato, diced
- 8 ounces Mexican crema fresca or sour cream
- chopped cilantro for garnish, optional
- 8 large tortilla chips
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions
- In a soup pot, heat the oil and butter until the butter starts to sizzle.
- Add the peppers, onions and carrot. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables with the oil and butter.
- Add the potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Using an immersion blender (or transfer in batches to a stand blender) and puree the soup thoroughly until uniformly smooth. Add the crema fresco and stir to mix.
- Serve in oven proof bowls. Place two tortilla chips on top of each bowl, sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheese and set under a broiler until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Note
- Even though these chile peppers are generally mild, it is best to wear gloves when handling them during the skinning and seeding process as the seeds can be hot.
- If you don’t have oven proof bowls, you can use a foil lined sheet to melt the cheese on the chips and transfer them on top of the individual soup bowls.
(Printable recipe can be found in my recipe index under Soups)