Arepas Stuffed With Chiles Chorizo And Corn Recipes

CHEESE-STUFFED AREPAS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Stir together 2 1/2 cups lukewarm water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Gradually add the corn meal into the water, using your fingers to stir and combine, until a soft and moist dough forms.
• Divide the dough into 8 golf ball-size balls and pat each into a patty about 5-inches wide and 1/4-inch-thick.
• Put a cube of mozzarella in the center of each patty. Fold the dough over the cheese, making sure the cheese is completely covered and sealed. Pat it back down until 3-inches wide and 1/2-inch-thick (see Cook's Note).
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering. Working in batches, cook the corn patties, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side (making sure the oil is hot for each batch). Transfer to a cooling rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the edges are crisp and golden, about 10 minutes.

AREPAS WITH CHEESE AND CORN

Steps:

• Put cornmeal in a large bowl with salt and cheese. Put milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steam rises, then add butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir into cornmeal mixture until a thick batter is formed. Fold in the corn kernels, scallion, cilantro and chili if using.
• Let batter rest until it thickens into a soft dough, about 15 minutes. Gently form 3- to 4-inch balls from mixture and flatten with palm of your hand to a 1/2-inch-thick disk. (You can cover and refrigerate disks for a few hours if you like.)
• Heat oil in a large skillet and cook arepas, working in batches, until golden brown, about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes on other side. When all arepas are cooked and cool enough to handle, carefully slice them through the middle. If desired, serve with butter or stuff with beans, vegetables or sour cream.

POTATO- AND CHORIZO-STUFFED ANCHO CHILES

Steps:

• Rinse chiles, then cover with cold water in a bowl and soak, weighted with a sieve (to keep submerged), until completely rehydrated (most will turn a brighter red), about 8 hours. Do not drain chiles.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove 1 chile from soaking liquid and, working over chile bowl and sieve, cut a slit down one side with scissors and let interior liquid and loose seeds drain into sieve. Carefully cut out seedpod, leaving stem intact and letting any easily loosened seeds fall into sieve, then discard seedpod. Repeat with remaining chiles, arranging seeded chiles, cut sides up, in 1 layer in a 13- by 9- by 2-inch (3-quart) baking dish.
• Reserve 1 cup chile-soaking liquid for sauce. Turn chile seeds out of sieve into a shallow baking pan and spread evenly, then toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until dry, fragrant, and a few shades darker, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool seeds in pan on a rack, then finely grind in grinder (you will have about 1 tablespoon).
• Purée tomatoes, including juice from can, in a blender with reserved soaking water, ground chile seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth, then transfer to a 3-quart heavy saucepan and boil, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened slightly and reduced to about 2 cups, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1/3-inch cubes (about 2 1/2 cups). Cook in a 3-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender but not falling apart, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
• Stir together potatoes, chorizo, cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then fill chiles generously with stuffing (about 1/2 cup each; slit will not close over it). Pour sauce around (not over) chiles, then cover dish with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling all over, 35 to 45 minutes.

CHILES STUFFED WITH CORN & CREMA

Steps:

• Over an open flame of a gas stove or barbeque grill or in a dry cast-iron or nonstick skillet over high heat, roast the chiles until they are charred on all sides. This will take a few minutes over an open flame and about 10 minutes in a skillet.
• Remove the chiles from the heat and seal in a plastic bag for 5 minutes. This will create steam and allow the skins to separate from the flesh. If you don't have a plastic bag, place the chiles in a bowl and cover tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
• Peel away the skins. Cut a slit down one side of each roasted and peeled poblano chile, starting just under the stem and going all the way down to the tip. Remove all the seeds and as much of the veins as you can, being careful not to rip the chile. Set aside.
• If you are using fresh corn, husk the corn, remove the silks, and slice the kernels from the cobs with a knife. Pour the oil into a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the corn kernels, season with the salt and pepper, and continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until the corn begins to just turn a golden brown color. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Stuff 1/2 cup of the sautéed corn mixture into a chile. Top the corn with 1/4 cup shredded cheese, 1 1/2 tablespoons crema, and another 1 1/2 tablespoons shredded cheese. The chile should be fat and full. Place the stuffed chile, slit side up, in a baking dish and repeat with the remaining chiles. (The size and shape of the baking dish is not important, as long as the chiles are placed in a single layer.) Arrange the chiles side by side in the dish; they can be touching, if needed. It's a good idea to select a dish that you would be happy taking to the table, as the chiles are best eaten straight from the oven.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Then broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese turns golden brown and bubbly.
• Serve warm in the baking dish or transfer to a serving platter.
• INGREDIENTS
• Poblano Chiles
• There really is no substitute for the rich-tasting and slightly hot poblano chile. Resist using a bell pepper in its place because the flavor and color of the dish will not be the same.
• Frozen Corn
• If you are using frozen corn, measure the amount needed before defrosting.
• Mexican Crema
• Do not substitute sour cream for the crema in this recipe because sour cream tends to separate when baked. A suitable substitute would be crème fraîche.
• TECHNIQUE
• Removing Corn Kernels
• I find that the easiest way to do this is to work with the corn in a horizontal position and essentially slice four sides off of the ear of corn. You will need a large chef's knife. Place the corn on a cutting board lengthwise in front of you and position the tip of your knife blade on the top right side of the corn then slice off the entire right side. To help avoid cutting into the cob, place your blade one kernel in from the edge. Rotate the ear of corn clockwise and repeat with the remaining three sides.
• ADVANCE PREPARATION
• The chiles can be roasted a day in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator. The corn mixture also can be sautéed ahead of time. The chiles can be assembled a few hours in advance, but should be baked just before serving.

HOMEMADE AREPAS

Steps:

• Stir water and salt together in a bowl. Gradually stir corn meal into water with your fingers until mixture forms a soft, moist, malleable dough.
• Divide dough into 8 golf ball-size balls and pat each one into a patty about 3/8-inch thick.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches, cook corn patties in hot oil until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer cooked arepas to a paper towel-lined plate to drain until cool enough to handle.
• Slice halfway through each cake horizontally with a thin serrated knife to form a pita-like pocket.