Cheesy Green Chile Beans go to top of keeper list
When this recipe from a January New York Times Cooking newsletter landed in my inbox, I immediately knew I had to make it. And although it took me a few weeks to do so — other recipes farther up on my to-make list, getting knocked down hard by a chest cold, springlike weather making me crave lighter foods — I wasn’t disappointed.
I made a few changes — adding a sliced red onion, cumin, coriander and oregano and cutting the peppers into thin strips, rajas, rather than roughly chopping them as the Times did, and lightly mashing the beans for a little textural contrast.
The Times puts the servings at four, but my husband and I made a meal of the skillet with just a small bowlful left over. So, depending on appetites and what else you’re having with it, this feeds two to four.
Pair the cheesy beans with tortilla chips, rice, warm tortillas or cornbread.
Cheesy Green Chile Beans
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 poblano chiles, cored and seeded, thinly sliced into
½-by2-inch strips
½ large red onion, thinly sliced Salt and ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon oregano (I used Mexican oregano, but Mediterranean is fine)
10 sprigs fresh cilantro
2 (15-ounce) cans of pinto beans, rinsed and lightly mashed
1 ½ cups salsa verde (jarred or homemade)
6 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 ½ cups) Lime wedges, for serving Arrange rack about
6 inches from broiler and heat broiler to high.
In a large, broiler-safe skillet (I used cast iron), heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the poblanos and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are beginning to brown and onion is tender. Season with salt, pepper,
cumin, coriander and oregano.
Mince the cilantro stems and add them to the skillet. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves and set them aside.
Stir in the beans and salsa verde into the pepper mixture and bring to a simmer. Simmer,
stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly. Turn off heat, sprinkle the cheese over the top, and broil until melted and browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve right away, topped with cilantro leaves and a squeeze of lime.
Makes 2 to 4 servings. Recipe adapted from Ali Slagle via The New York Times weekly newsletter