Poblano Macaroni and Cheese for Cookbook Spotlight: "The Homesick Texan Cookbook"

I'm continuing my adventure of cooking along with a group of bloggers to The Homesick Texan Cookbook by Lisa Fain. Last week's (Not) Pork Tacos, Dallas Gas Station Style and Austin Style Black Beans were two delicious recipes, and I had high hopes for this week's recipe assignment, Poblano Macaroni and Cheese. I did have a brief (a very, very, brief) thought about making a non-dairy version but sometimes you just have to have the real thing--so I made a half-batch. This recipe is complete indulgence--creamy, cheesy, with smoky, slightly spicy notes, and it takes your regular macaroni and cheese up a level or two.

Poblano Macaroni and Cheese
from The Homesick Texan Cookbook
(Makes 8 Servings)

2 Poblano chiles
8 oz elbow pasta (I used mini rotini)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 cloves of minced garlic
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of whole milk
1 tsp of mustard powder
1/4 tsp of cayenne powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp lime zest
1/2 Cup of chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Cups of grated white cheddar (12 oz)
1/2 Cup of Cotija cheese

Roast the poblano chilies under the broiler until blackened, about 5 minutes per side. Place the chiles in a paper sack or plastic food-storage bag, close it tightly, and let the for 20 minutes. Take the chiles out of the bag and rub off the skin. Take the chiles out of the bag and rub off the skin. Remove the stem and seeds and chop the chiles into 1-inch long pieces.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook according to your package's directions ad then drain the pasta. (You want the pasta to be cooked but not mushy; I cook my pasta for 5 minutes.)

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a large baking dish or a large cast-iron skillet, and pour the drained pasta into the dish.

In a pot (you can use the pot the pasta cooked in or you can do this while the pasta boils), on low heat melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour and cook until a light brown, toasty paste is formed, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and stir until it's thickened a bit but still fluid, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the mustard powder, cayenne, cumin, lime zest, cilantro, and chopped poblano chiles. Adjust seasonings and add salt and black pepper.

Slowly add half of the cheddar cheese and stir until it's melted and well combined into the sauce. (If the sauce has cooled too much and the cheese won't melt, return the pot to low heat on the stove seems a little thick return it to the stove until soft again. If however, the sauce gets too thick, like a custard, you can thin it by stirring in milk, a teaspoon at a time.) Pour sauce over pasta and top with the remaining half of the cheddar cheese and bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until brown and bubbling. Sprinkle with Cotija cheese, and serve immediately.

The Homesick Texan suggests: Try adding cooked bacon, chorizo, chicken, squash, or corn to the macaroni and cheese before baking. You can also substitute pepper Jack for some of the cheddar if you like. And if you like a crunchy top, add crushed tortilla chips before baking.


Notes/Results: Wow! I think that maybe all macaroni and cheese needs to have roasted poblanos in it, their toasty, sweet chile taste adds so much to the cheese and pasta. Of course anything with cumin in it makes me melt and the lime zest added just the right note of brightness to all the creaminess. The white cheddar made for a creamy decadent sauce and the Cotija (essentially a Mexican version of feta) added a pleasing saltiness. I did bake crushed tortilla chips on top for a little extra crunch. (I used these Tostitos Artisan Chips that I am completely addicted to and can no longer have in my house because I eat WAY too many of them I have become quite fond of.) Yes, I was a little sad that I only made a half-recipe's worth of this because it is so good--but my thighs are pretty proud of me. ;-) A winner of a recipe.


Tune in next week for "blogger's choice"--where we will each be picking our own recipes to try.



*This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef*