We love peppers, peppers of all kinds, hot, mild, sweet, red, yellow, orange, green, multicolored, the pepper is on plates year round know, of course peaking in the summer or hottest months of the year.  Whether we grow our own peppers in our gardens or shop at big grocery stores or forage through he farmers markets, we find peppers all over.  In summer we are especially lucky to have a plentitude of different varieties.  Yet, what we have found is that peppers are extremely intimidating for most folks.  They like the idea of peppers but are a bit confused and overwhelmed when actually cooking with them.  One of my ultimate favorite peppers is the pablano, an often overlooks but extremely versatile and simple pepper to use in the kitchen.  If I was given the option of having only one pepper in my life, it would be this pepper, not the sweet large Italian reds and not the spicy jalapeno, which are pretty high up on my list of luxury items!

The pablano and its dried version the ancho pepper, are amongst the peppers with the greatest flavors out there.  Not spicy, not mild but uniquely flavorful in a warm delicate smoky way. The peppers not only lend themselves to the traditional Mexican and Latin cooking but these peppers have been able to make the fusion transition into all kinds of cuisines.

The pepper is best known for two main routes in the kitchen, number one it is the stuffing pepper, with a big & roomy interior this pepper is excellent for stuffing, chili rellenos anyone?  The second most notable rout is in the dried form, the dried ancho chili is one of the most amazing dried chilies out there because of its great mild smoky flavor, its ground powder with a light greenish hue is amazing in chili’s and other dishes, I find it amazing to use in some of my crossover Indian dishes requiring chili powder.

Whther you stuff it, smoke it, roast it, puree it, grill it, sauté it, dried it, or use it raw the pablano chili is a force to be reckoned with and a chili you ought not let intimidate you this summer, chances are you will improve your dishes if you give this versatile little buger a try!

Here are a few things one can do with the pablano:

Green Chili Enchilada Sauce:  Roast about 4-6 tomatillos, and 3 pablano chills, 1 jalapeno,  on a grill or in the oven, peel, place in blender peppers can be deseeded but do not need to be must be de-stemmed, and add 1 cup chicken stock or water, add pinch of salt and 1 bunch of cilantro and 1 tsp green chili powder and 1 tsp cumin, blend and drizzle over enchiladas.

Roasted Pablanos:  Simply roast in the oven or on the grill, deseed and de-stem and serve over steak or on fajitas or shrimp tacos or with grilled cumin chicken.  Or add to a grilled burger.

Chili:  Add pablanoes to a basic chili recipe, contrary to a lot of recipes, you do not need to peel pablanos, the skin is thicker yes but manageable.

Pablano Corn Chowder:  Use either roasted of sautéed pablanos in fresh corn chowder recipes

Pablano Pesto in Southwest lasagna:  Use roasted pablanos in a basic pesto recipe replacing basil with pablanos add chili’s for extra heat, make zucchini lasagna with chipotle tomato sauce and other vegetables and cheese with this pablano pesto!

Pinapple & Roasted Pablano Salsa:  Add roasted pablano chili’s to cubed pineapple, red onion, chilis for heat, cilantro and lime juice

Green Pablano rice:  Sautéed pablanos , green onions, and cilantro and lime zest and cook with rice to make green pablano rice.

Shrimp and Crab Stuffed Pablano Rellenos:  Sauté yellow onions, red peppers, shrimp & crap and add cilantro and lime, mix with cotija cheese and stuff pablano pepper, roast in the over and serve with green sauce over.

Mashed parsnips with pablano chili’s and cheddar cheese: mix roasted pablanos with mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese.