Peppers, 2018 edition

I love peppers.

This statement will not come as a surprise to anyone who knows me or has read my previous posts. Typically, about half of the small backyard garden is planted with varieties both sweet and spicy. 2018 was no exception, but the growing season has been challenging. Pepper plants need strong sunlight to thrive, and the near-constant rains in DC this summer have slowed their growth. Aside from the small container-grown peppers, I’ve had to wait until late September for my first harvest. But my patience has finally being rewarded.

Even if, like me, you’re a huge fan of peppers, one challenge is the prolific productivity of some varieties. And it seems like the hottest ones invariably yield the most. Six years ago, I grew what was supposed to be aji amarillo, a relatively mild pepper used in the classic Peruvian dish aji de gallina. That single plant produced dozens and dozens of small lemon-hued fruit that were anything but mild. As I discovered, aji amarillo is sometimes a catch-all for any variety of ‘yellow chili pepper’ (its literal translation). The dried remainder of that bumper crop of mouth-burners still resides in my pantry, a single pepper sufficient to heat up an entire pot of chili. Lesson learned.

The big producers this year were the jalapeño, which I’ll smoke to make chipotles en adobo, and the Thai bird’s eye chili, which will become an experimental batch of Belizean-style hot sauce. It was also a good year for poblanos. I have some late-season ears of corn on hand, courtesy of the local farmstand, and I like to pair its sweetness with spicy peppers. So I’ll cook up a big pot of corn-poblano soup and prepare a batch of corn-filled stuffed poblanos to store in the freezer, their summer flavors the perfect antidote for chilly evenings of the coming season.

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Corn-poblano soup

• 2 ears corn

• 2 poblano peppers

• 2 tsp. olive oil

• 2 tsp. butter

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• sour cream, to garnish

• smoked pimentón or paprika, to garnish

Steps

• shuck ears of corn, saving silk (cut off blackened parts)

• cut kernels from ears of corn, saving kernels and cobs

• combine cobs, silk, and 3 cups water in stock pot

• bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one hour

• strain to remove solids, saving corn broth

• roast, peel, seed, and chop poblanos

• heat oil and butter in medium pot

• saute onions, garlic, and poblanos until soft

• add corn kernels and cook 1 minute

• add corn broth, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes

• purée with immersion blender to desired consistency

• serve with dollop of sour cream and pinch of smoked pimentón

Stuffed poblanos (adapted from The New Basics Cookbook)

• 3 medium poblano peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded

• ¾ cup fresh corn kernels

• ¼ cup red onion, chopped

• ¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped

• 2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

• ¾ cup sharp cheddar, chopped

• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1 Tbsp. dried bread crumbs

• ½ tsp. salt

• ground black pepper, to taste

• Mexican crema or sour cream, to garnish

• (note: original recipe included ¼ cup celery, which I omit)

Steps

• preheat oven to 375˚ F

• in large bowl, mix well all ingredients except peppers and sour cream

• fill pepper halves with mixture and arrange on baking sheet

• bake until filling is heated through, ~30 minutes

• serve with dollop of Mexican crema