Anaheim Chiles, Roasted With Corn Tortillas
Roasted Anaheim chiles are direct and uncomplicated, with profuse flavor. I think often we miss so much by complicating our everyday, wasting time with artifice. Just look at the beauty of what’s around, take it in, get real and go with it.
I think roasting Anaheim chiles on a comal is the best example that doing food simply can be amazingly delicious. My amá (mom) used to make these. You eat them just with a hot yellow corn tortilla and a little salt. There’s not a single gourmand who can resist crooning with joy upon biting into this
Recipe? What recipe? Roast the chiles, add salt and eat them with a yellow corn tortilla!
ok, just kidding.
Roasted Anaheim Chiles On Corn Tortillas
Chile:
1. On a comal or cast iron griddle roast the chiles as shown above until most of the surface is charred. You can use a broiler or an open fire but I find that the extended time that it takes to char on the griddle is just right for cooking the inside of the chile. There’s still texture but it’s not firm at all. You don’t want to bite into a raw, firm chile. Let’s not get lost in the crudité 1980s again.
2. Place them in a paper bag and close tightly so that the steam helps release the skin, or place them in a bowl and cover with a damp towel
3. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and remove the seeds.
Tortilla:
1. In a shallow bowl filled with water, immerse the corn tortillas for about 5 seconds. I assume you have bought a package of yellow corn tortillas. They will be perfect. But if you want to make your own, here’s the recipe for making fresh corn tortillas.
2. Heat a clean comal or griddle on high until it is quite hot, to the point that if you sprinkle droplets of water they dance on the surface.
3. Place the re-hydrated tortillas on the griddle and cook for about 10-15 seconds. The tortillas should char just a little bit but you don’t want them to burn. Turn over with a spatula.
4. Place strips, rajas, of the chiles on one half of the tortilla, sprinkle with salt, and fold in half. Heat for about 15 seconds, turn it over and heat the other half of the tortilla. This roasts the tortilla and also reheats the chile nicely.
Serve immediately, while they are aromatic and steamy.
So, it is also delicious with cheese, just don’t get carried away with the 
cheese. I recommend two cheeses, good melting Asadero and more delicately flavored Panela. Both are readily available in most grocery stores of the US. I wouldn’t use longhorn or cheddar. Too loud.
Add the cheese after sprinkling the salt on the rajas as indicated above, then fold the tortilla and proceed, also as above. Both cheeses will melt well, but differently.
Here is the Asadero cheese. It melts completely and is very nice and gentle. Remember that we want to taste the shades of flavor of the chile itself.
And below is the Panela cheese. It’s a very different taste and texture. Cut into small dice, it will melt slightly as you can see. Do let me know how you like these.