Poblano Mac n Cheese

By antoinetteburgess

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 to 3 medium poblano chile peppers, seeded, stemmed and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 small handful fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 small onion, chopped 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or Mexican crema
• 2 cups shredded manchego cheese
• 1 pound short-cut pasta, such as ziti with lines or macaroni

Preparation

Step 1

Puree the stock with the poblanos, garlic, cilantro, onions and some salt and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Melt the butter in a saucepot over medium heat, and then whisk in the flour. Whisk in the milk and cream and raise the heat a bit. Stir in the poblano puree and simmer until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the pasta to al dente in a large pot of salted boiling water. Before draining the pasta, reserve a ladle of the starchy cooking water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding a little of the reserved starchy water if the sauce is too thick. Pour into a baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake until brown and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

Cook's Note: For a make-ahead meal, cool and store before baking. Let the mac n cheese come to room temperature before baking 30 to 40 minutes.