Rajas and Cheese
A Southwest twist on the old classic of grilled cheese, this version is spicier and good comfort food. In the Southwest, the Spanish word rajas (slivers) has come to mean slim strips of cooked chile peppers or sweet bell peppers, here lifted with aromatic spices, a buttery cream, and slightly tangy cheese. When spooned into smaller tortillas, this enticingly rich filling makes a great appetizer or hors d’oeuvre taco. For a heartier snack, add chicken or beef. Large or small, with or without meat, they’ll go as fast as you can make them. To reduce the heat level of this dish, leave out the seeds from the jalapeños.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 tacos
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cut the prepared red bell peppers and poblano, green, and jalapeño chiles into 1/4-inch-thick strips (rajas) and set aside in a large bowl.
Step 2
In a large, heavy nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Decrease the heat to low, add the bell pepper and chile strips, then stir in the cilantro, oregano, salt, crema, queso Oaxaca, and grated Parmesan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously (so the mixture doesn’t brown or scorch), until the queso melts, about 5 minutes. It may be necessary to add a little water to the pan to keep the mixture from browning (the mixture may steam a little from the water).
Step 3
Remove from the heat and serve immediately or keep warm in the pan until ready to serve.
Step 4
To serve on a platter, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on the platter. Divide the fillings equally between the tortillas and top with salsa and sun-dried tomatoes. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay the tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with salsa and sun-dried tomatoes, fold, and eat right away.
