Chilli
Poblano pepper
Chile poblano
Also called poblano, chile poblano, poblano chilli
A large, dark green, heart-shaped fresh chilli with thick walls and mild heat. It is usually charred and peeled before use, and is the chilli for chiles rellenos, rajas and chiles en nogada. Dried, it becomes the ancho.
Origin
The state of Puebla in central Mexico, which gives it its name. It is now grown across Mexico and the American south-west and sold in many large supermarkets elsewhere, sometimes mislabelled as pasilla.
Flavour
Green, earthy and slightly bitter raw; sweet, smoky and rich once charred. The heat is usually gentle, but now and then one bites.
How to use it
Char over a flame or under a grill until black all over, sweat in a covered bowl, then rub off the skin. Slit and stuff whole, or cut into strips (rajas) and fry with onion and cream. Do not rinse peeled chillies under running water, which washes away the flavour.
Storage
Keep whole in the fridge vegetable drawer for up to a week. Roasted and peeled, they keep three days in the fridge or freeze flat for months.
