I have to say, one of my favorite foods in the world is corn. In my mind, Corn is King. When I travel in Mexico, corn is present in so many dishes that I feel comfort and satisfaction after every meal. My brain is always working, thinking of new ways to use the same ingredients that are part of our everyday foods, and that’s how this recipe came about.
One of the commonly used sauces in Mexico is made with one of our most beloved chiles - poblanos are often paired with crema to make a very delicious and versatile sauce that can be served with pasta or chicken. In this recipe, we make linguine with an unusual topping of caramelized onions and fresh corn kernels, called esquites in Mexico.
This recipe can be made in steps, if you so wish. You can make the caramelized onions and esquites ahead of time, and then this dish can come together very fast on a busy weeknight.
When we talk about “caramelizing” onions, we really have to take the time to do it properly, and it can take at the very least 30 minutes, but often closer to one hour or more, depending on the amount of onions you are cooking, and also how much attention you are putting on them. If you are constantly stirring and watching they don’t burn, you can do this a bit faster and on a higher flame, but if you leave them alone, you must cook them at a very low heat, and stir every few minutes to make sure they cook evenly and don’t burn. I like to add a pinch of sugar to help move the process along and help with browning, which is very desirable in this preparation. When the onions are starting to brown, remove some for the sauce and set aside. Add the corn kernels to the frying pan and cook together with the onions. This gives them a delicious flavor. When this mixture is done, it can be set aside until you are ready to make your sauce and finish your pasta.
The pasta sauce is very easy - blend roasted poblanos, the reserved caramelized onions, crema, jalapeños and cilantro. Heat this sauce in a saucepan and season to taste. When pasta is cooked to al dente, toss everything together. To serve, place a mound of pasta on your plate, and top with some of those delicious caramelized onions and esquites. Garnish with cotija cheese and cilantro and enjoy!
Pasta Poblana con Esquites
Poblano Pasta with Corn and Caramelized Onions
2 large white onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp vegetable oil or butter
½ tsp kosher salt
Pinch sugar
2 ears of corn, kernels shaved off
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 poblano chiles
½ cup caramelized onion
1 cup crema or crème fraîche
2 jalapeño or Serrano chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1 tsp canola or vegetable oil
400g linguine or linguini fini pasta
Garnish:
½ cup cotija cheese (or mild feta)
Handful cilantro leaves
In large frying pan, heat 2 Tbsp oil. Add sliced onions and ½ tsp kosher salt and a pinch of sugar. Cook, over medium low heat, stirring often, until onions start to brown and are very soft, about 45 minutes. Remove ½ cup onions and reserve.
Add corn kernels to frying pan with onions and continue to cook until corn is starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Season with more salt if needed and reserve.
While onions are caramelizing, place whole poblano chiles on a tray under the broiler and cook, turning often, until well charred. Remove from oven and place in a bowl. Cover with a plate and steam for 8 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, peel charred skin off, stem, seed and chop roughly.
In blender container place roasted poblano chunks, the reserved ½ cup caramelized onions, 1 cup crema, jalapeño or Serrano chiles and cilantro. If you have trouble blending, you may add 2-3 Tbsp milk. Blend until very smooth.
In large frying pan (where you cooked the onions), heat 1 Tbsp oil. Pour poblano cream sauce and cook just until heated through. Season with salt if needed. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, bring 3 litres of water to a boil. Add a tsp of salt and cook pasta until al dente, following manufacturer’s instructions. Drain pasta and pour into the pan with the sauce. Toss until well coated and taste for a final seasoning.
Serve right away in bowls topped with some of the corn and onion mixture. Garnish with cotija cheese and cilantro.
Serves 4.