CHILE POBLANO SPAGHETTI

by Natalia Hernandez

My grandma, who is an inspiration to me, was the first person in my family to make this recipe. The combination of chile poblano and pasta is not something I have seen anyone make, but this recipe is delicious. It’s rich and creamy, with a little kick of spice thanks to the charred chile.

Serves: 6 Estimated Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

2 chile poblanos

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided

1 pound spaghetti

1 bunch cilantro

1/3 yellow onion

2 garlic cloves

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon of salt

½ tablespoon chicken bouillon powder

1 cup table cream

Directions

1. Using a gas stove, turn the heat to medium high and place the chile poblanos directly on the burner. Use tongs to turn occasionally. Char the chiles until blackened on all sides. You can also char the poblano under the broiler or on the grill. Transfer the chiles to a bowl and cover with a plate. Leave to steam for 1015 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon butter. Once boiling, add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

3. While the pasta is cooking, remove the stems from the chiles and wash under cold water to remove the skin and seeds.

4. Add the cleaned chiles to a blender along with the cilantro, onion, garlic, milk, salt, and chicken bouillon. Blend the sauce until smooth.

5. In a large pot, melt remaining butter over low heat. Once melted, add the sauce and bring to a simmer.

6. Stir in the table cream and add the spaghetti. Over low heat, simmer everything together until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the pasta.