Poblano Cream Sauce

When I saw the name "poblano cream sauce", somehow I just knew deep down in the depths of my soul stomach, that I would really like it. A month or so later, when I saw poblanos at the Mexican market, I grabbed a few. Dutifully, I placed them in my crisper....and forgot about them. You know what? Those babies have staying power. As I was planning my New Years Eve dinner-at-home menu, I decided on a Mexican theme....Taquitos with homemade tortillas and a big ole pot of Tortilla Soup. As I scoured the fridge for ingredients, I came across my 3 poblanos....waiting ever so patiently for their time of glory.

And the hunt began. (you see...I could not, for the life of me, remember where I had seen that first recipe that got this started in my brain). I looked at Martha Stewarts recipe...but it seemed....I dunno...weak? Then I looked at another recipe that also seemed weak, in a different way. But they both had their own strengths. I took the strengths and combined them and came up with this version. Let me just say....I almost ate it as soup!!! I couldn't stop dipping my spoon in for a taste. And another. And then once again because it was so good! By the time my guests arrived, I had gone through so many tasting spoons that I had to wash some just so my guests could eat the Tortilla Soup like the well bred, upstanding citizens that they are.

Poblano Cream Sauce
Printable Version

3 fresh poblano chillies
2-3 teaspoons oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup Mexican Crema
Salt to taste

Roast the poblanos over an open fire, until the skins are blackened.

I have a grill grate that was hardly used because it was purchased to replace the old one for the gas grill. Shortly after, we tossed the gas grill (hated it) and reverted back to a Weber. Anyway...I kept the grate and found a great use for it!!! After a few turns on the grate, my poblanos were perfect!

I placed them in a zip lock baggy for several minutes so the skins would loosen up and easily peel off.

I then removed the seeds and the stem....gave them a rough chop and placed them in a blender.

In a medium sized sauce pan, I heated up the oil and sauteed the onion and garlic until tender. They then joined the poblanos in the blender along with the milk for a little pureeing.

Wipe out the sauce pan and melt the butter....add the flour and brown lightly, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and pour in the poblano puree mixture and stir until smooth. Add the Mexican Crema,

stir constantly until it's bubbly and beginning to thicken. Remove from heat and add salt to taste

Now....what do you did I do with this delicious sauce? Most of the recipes out there say to pour it over chicken. I used it to dip my taquitos in. I used it to dip my chips in. I used it to garnish my tortilla soup.

Next day....I used it to garnish my breakfast!!!

Hash browns, with melted cheese, bacon, egg over easy, queso fresco, fried tortilla strips and a bunch of Poblano Cream Sauce!!!

It was amazing!

I think next time, I want to make a Mexican version of eggs benedict with this sauce.  What would you like to do with some?

This is my entry for this weeks Hearth and Soul Hop