Culichi Dip Or Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Roast whole poblanos: place on cookie sheet at 400 degrees. Bake for ~20 minutes, until the peppers are deflated & the skins are charred in spots. Place cooked peppers in a bowl with a top & cool (this will loosen the skin & make the peppers easy to handle). When cool, peel off the outer membrane of the peppers, along with the stem and seeds.
• Puree: Place all ingredients in a blender & puree until smooth. Add salt to taste.
• Pour mixture into baking pan. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes, until the cheese on top is bubbling & slightly golden.
• You can make the sauce ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a few days. If you do this, the baking time will be reduced. This is because of the onions; they add a sharpness that needs to be mellowed (baking does this, as does resting time in the fridge). If the sauce rests in the fridge for a few days, the baking time is ~ 25 minutes + an additional 10-15. If you bake it the day you make the sauce, it will need the stated, longer time.
• Poblanos vary in spiciness, from fairly mild to medium spicy. You won't know until the puree is done. If you want a spicier sauce, simply roast a few jalapeños along with the poblanos and add them to the puree.
• At Chihuahua (Tucson, AZ), this sauce is served over shrimp & fish. If you wish to do this, simply saute the fish or shrimp, until just barely done. Then toss with the puree. Top with some mozzarella and bake, until the top is bubbling & golden.

Steps:

• Poblanos on their own are mild chilis, only slightly spicy. It's a matter of preference whether you want to use poblanos alone or add a few jalapeños. I like things spicy, so I always add hot peppers. I generally make it less spicy as an entree (1-2 jalapeños) and spicier as a dip or appetizer (4+ jalapeños). But it is personal preference entirely. Try it with only poblanos the first time, then adjust the next time!
• The traditional cheese used in this dish is Mexican Oaxaca cheese, a mild white cheese that melts wonderfully. If you find it, great. If not, shredded mozzarella works perfectly (my Mexican mother-in-law uses mozzarella!).
• 1) Roast whole poblanos with jalapeños (if using): Place on cookie sheet at 400 degrees. Bake for ~20 minutes, turning over midway. You want the peppers to be soft and charred in some spots. If necessary, bake a a few more minutes. Place cooked peppers in a bowl with a top & cool (this will loosen the skin & make the peppers easy to handle). This can be done a week ahead of time.
• 2) When the peppers are cool, peel off the outer membrane of the peppers, along with seeds and stems. Discard skin, stems, and seeds.
• 3) Puree: Place all ingredients, except for the cheese and salt, in the blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.
• 4) Heat oil in large sauté pan. Add the puree and simmer, over low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Taste - checking that the "bitter" taste of the raw onions has gone.
• 5) Taste and add salt to your taste.
• 6) At this point, the sauce itself is done. This can be done ahead of time and saved in the fridge for a few days.
• 7) For SHRIMP Culichi: Sauté a pound of shrimp in a tablespoon of oil, 2-3 minutes each side, until almost done.
• 8) Arrange in a baking dish. Pour culichi sauce over the top. Sprinkle with shredded 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake for ~20 minutes at 350 degrees.
• For FISH: Saute pieces of firm mild fish (cod, mahi, etc) in a tablespoon of oil, until almost done. Arrange in a baking dish, pour culichi over the top, sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella, and bake, 20 minutes, 350 degrees.
• For DIP (no seafood): Stir 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella into the culichi sauce and pour into a baking dish. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top. Bake until hot and bubbling and the cheese is browned in spots on top (approx 25 minutes, 350 degrees).
• Originally from: http://tucsontacos.blogspot.com/2009/01/recipe-of-month.html.

Steps:

• Preheat Broiler.
• Poblano Sauce: Prepare Poblano chilies by roasting under broiler until they are fully blistered.
• Remove chilies from broiler and turn off oven.
• Put chilies in a brown paper bag to steam for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, then peel and remove seeds and stems. Cut peppers and put into medium sized bowl.
• In a saucepan combine oil, Poblano peppers, onions, cilantro leaves, garlic and seasoning. sauté over high heat, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in stock, bring to a boil, and boil vigorously, 18 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in heavy cream, and simmer 2 minutes. Transfer sauce to blender or food processor and puree until smooth. For a smoother sauce, you can strain sauce as well.
• Tilapia: Melt in a butter large heavy skillet. Add garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Season tilapia filets with salt and pepper and add to pan. Cook over moderately high heat until browned, 3 minutes per side.
• Remove tilapia filets from the pan leaving the garlic butter and arrange tilapia in a baking dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add mushrooms to skillet. Cover and sauté for about 15 minutes.
• When mushrooms are close to done, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Pour mushrooms over tilapia. Pour sauce over tilapia and mushrooms. Sprinkle cheese over the top.
• Bake for about 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and tilapia is cooked through.
• Serve with rice and refried beans on the side and flour tortillas for dipping.