Poblano Pesto Recipes

POBLANO PESTO

Steps:

• Cut peppers in half; remove stems, seeds and membranes. In a large skillet, bring 1 in. of water to a boil. Add poblanos and jalapeno; cover and cook for 5-6 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool slightly and pat dry., Place peppers in food processor; cover and pulse until blended. Add the almonds, cheese, salt and pepper; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream.

QDOBA'S POBLANO PESTO

Steps:

• Heat oil in a small saucepan, then add garlic and saute' on medium heat. Garlic needs to cook, not brown.
• Once the garlic is cooked (not browned), add the poblano chiles, green chiles, jalapenos and water. Turn heat down low enough just to maintain a simmer and cook ten minutes.
• After cooking, most of the water should have evaporated and chiles should be tender. Add almond meal, toasted pepitas, salt and apple cider vinegar.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool for a minimum of ten minutes. The cooling ensures that the lime juice and cilantro do not cook when you add them, as this can change their flavor dramatically.
• Add cilantro and lime juice, and stir to blend.
• Serve and enjoy!

POBLANO PESTO

Steps:

• Char the poblano peppers on top of a gas burner, on a grill, or under the broiler) until all of the sides are blackened. Place in a bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap, allowing the steam to help loosen the skin. With your fingers or a spoon, scrape and discard the blackened skin then remove the seeds and core. Coarsely chop the poblanos, and place into a mini food processor. Add the Parmesan, cilantro, garlic, chili powder and oil and process until well combined, but not totally smooth. Taste and season with salt.

POBLANO-CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Place peppers on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 5 inches from heat about 5 minutes on each side or until blistered. Place peppers in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and let stand 10 minutes to loosen skins. Peel peppers; remove and discard seeds. Process peppers and remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Store pesto in refrigerator up to 1 week. Note: Poblano peppers are dark green, tapered chile peppers, about 3 inches wide and 4 to 5 inches long. You can find them in the produce section of your grocery store.