Poblano Chile

Mexican pasta probably isn’t something you’ve thought about before, but this poblano sauce may have you rethinking your devotion to the red variety.

With layers of flavor and centuries of history, chiles rellenos makes an excellent vegetarian main.

I long for the flavor of tamales de elote, made with puréed fresh corn kernels. But our starchy, flavorful Mexican corn cannot be replaced with United States sweet corn, which creates a terribly insipid, watery effect. So I evolved something a little different using a regular masa mixture with fresh corn kernels and seasonings beaten in.

There are many variations of Gobernadores, but they typically include shrimp, mild chiles, and cheese. Here, chef David Castro Hussong adds bacon, which gives the dish a surf-and-turf feeling.

This combination of roasted poblano chiles, cubed boiled potatoes, onions, and crema, cooked into a savory concoction makes a divine vegetarian taco filling.

Composed of four elements—vegetables, a grain, a protein, and a sauce—grain bowls like this one are simple, nutrient-dense, and very pretty to serve.

This version of Mexican seafood cocktail marries plump shrimp, sweet crabmeat, juicy tomato, smoky New Mexican chiles, briny olives, and creamy avocado.

If your only experience with ricotta has been smothered inside lasagna or ravioli, you need to try this simple, herby, green-chile studded ricotta taco.

Smoked pork hocks don’t just add meatiness and body; they release smoky, salty notes as they cook, seasoning the beans in the process.

Portobello mushrooms add hearty flavor to these creamy vegetarian enchiladas.

Puffy Tacos: The Pride of San Antonio!

You can assemble this elote-inspired party starter ahead of time, and then bake right before you're ready to serve it.

Roasted poblano chiles and cream are a classic—and irresistible—combination. It's worth roasting more than you need—the peeled and seeded chiles freeze well and thaw quickly. Sliced and seared zucchini or chayote squash is a terrific addition to the rajas mixture.

This upgraded version of the classic fish sandwich has a light-as-air tempura batter, punchy tartar sauce, and spicy slaw.