Cold Poblano And Grape Soup Recipes

ROASTED POBLANO SOUP - RECIPE

Steps:

• Set your oven to broil. Slice the poblano peppers in half lengthwise and place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet, skin sides up.
• Broil the poblanos about 15 minutes, until the skins char and blacken. They should puff up.
• Remove, cool slightly, then peel off the skins and discard them along with the seeds and stems.
• Rough chop the poblanos and set them aside.
• While the poblanos are roasting, heat a large pot to medium heat and add the olive oil.
• Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook them down about 5 minutes to soften.
• Add the chopped roasted poblano peppers, garlic, spinach, Cajun seasonings and salt and pepper. Cook another minute, stirring.
• Add the chicken stock and milk and bring to a quick boil. Reduce the heat and simmer about 30 minutes to let the flavors develop.
• Remove from heat and stir in the crema or sour cream until it is completely incorporated.
• Use a stick blender to blend the soup into a thin consistency, or transfer it to a food processor or blender in batches.
• Serve in bowls and garnish with chili oil, chili flakes, pepper slices and fresh chopped parsley.

ROASTED POBLANO SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the poblanos and roast them in the oven at 400F. Give them a flip after 15 minutes. They'll be mostly roasted in another 10-15 minutes, so 25-30 minutes total roasting time in the oven.
• Add 3 tablespoons butter to a saucepan on medium heat. Roughly chop an onion and add it to the saucepan, cooking for 5-7 minutes or until softened. Mince 4 garlic cloves and add to the onion, cooking for a minute or so.
• Add 3 tablespoons flour to the onion mixture and combine well. Add 4 cups of stock along with 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (optional), a pinch of cumin (optional), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Stir well. Simmer for 7-8 minutes.
• Once the poblano peppers have cooled a bit, pull off as much skin as you can but don't worry about getting rid of all of it. Then de-stem and de-seed the poblanos. Roughly chop the poblano pieces and add them to the saucepan.
• Cook until everything is at a uniform temp and then combine the mixture in a blender. Be sure to use caution when blending hot liquids -- I usually just hold a paper towel over any openings just in case you get a geyser.
• Return mixture to the saucepan and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Salt to taste. I added another 1/4 teaspoon of salt but keep in mind the salt level will depend on which stock you use.
• Serve immediately but don't forget to garnish! I used Crema, finely chopped cilantro stems, freshly ground pepper, and a couple dashes of Valentina hot sauce.
• The acidity of the hot sauce pairs well with the poblanos so feel free to re-garnish once you make your way through the top layer. Other options for acidity: lemon/lime juice or vinegars.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

COLD POBLANO AND GRAPE SOUP RECIPE

Steps:

• Using tongs, roast the chiles over a stove-top flame, turning them so the chiles blacken evenly on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. (You can also place them under the broiler for a few minutes to blacken.) Put them inside a plastic bag about 5 minutes. Remove the charred skins, rinse and remove the seeds and veins. Set the chiles aside.
• Peel the grapes and set them aside.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the grapes to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the grapes soften slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove them from the heat. Discard the shallot.
• Blend the crema, yogurt and chiles in a blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mixture to the saucepan and stir until it's well combined with the butter and grapes. Stir in 1/2 cup of milk if the soup is too thick. It should have the consistency of a creamed soup.
• Chill the soup at least 2 hours. If the soup is still too thick, stir in a little more milk. Serve in a crystal bowl set in crushed ice.

ROASTED POBLANO-CREAM SOUP

Steps:

• Char chilies over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag. Let stand 10 minutes to steam. Peel, seed and chop poblano chilies.
• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add chilies and sauté 1 minute. Add stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until chilies are very tender, about 10 minutes. Mix in cilantro, parsley and mint. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to pot. Mix in 1/4 cup cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more cream if soup is very spicy. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and chill. Bring to simmer before serving.)

POBLANO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the poblanos skin-side down until blistering, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• While the poblanos are cooling, spray the grill pan with nonstick cooking spray and grill the Cotija cheese on all sides until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Cube the cheese and reserve for garnish.
• Remove and discard the blistered skin from the poblanos. Dice 1 poblano and reserve for garnish. Roughly chop the remaining 2 poblanos.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and the 2 chopped poblanos and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the Jack cheese. Pour in the 1 quart chicken broth and bring to a rolling boil. Add the cilantro. Boil for 30 seconds and then remove from the heat. Carefully puree until smooth with a handheld immersion blender or in 2 to 3 batches in a blender (do not fill the blender more than halfway full per batch). Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
• Make a cornstarch slurry by whisking together the cornstarch with 4 teaspoons cold water or chicken broth in a small bowl. Stir the slurry into the soup to thicken. Season with salt.
• Garnish with the pepitas, diced poblano and grilled Cotija cheese.