Looking for a new sandwich to add to your menu? This California Chile Relleno Grilled Cheese — a winning recipe in the California Milk Advisory Board’s Grilled Cheese Sandwich Contest — puts a Mexican spin on a customer favorite with Hispanic cheese, poblanos and salsa, making it the perfect choice for Mexican/Latin-inspired restaurants.
Recipe courtesy of Jason Triail, The Habit Burger & Grill, Irvine, California; recipe and photo courtesy of California Milk Advisory Board
Serving size per order: 2 sandwiches
The Homemade Ranchera Salsa:
Makes enough salsa for 14 sandwiches, including extra to serve on the side.
1 T. canola oil
4 Roma-style tomatoes
¼ large white onion, peeled but with root end intact
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed
2 garlic cloves
½ c. chicken stock
½ t. ground cumin, ideally toasted
¼ t. smoked paprika
1½ t. fresh lime juice
Salt and black pepper
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high. Add tomatoes, onion, jalapeño pepper, and garlic and cook, turning occasionally, until charred and blistered on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove root end from onion and, if desired, seeds from jalapeño. Transfer onion, jalapeño, tomatoes, and garlic to a blender. Add stock, cumin, and paprika and blend until smooth but with some texture. Return mixture to skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium and cook until thickened slightly, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add cilantro. Use at room temperature or cool, chill, and refrigerate.
The Roasted Poblano Peppers:
2 poblano peppers
Arrange poblano peppers directly on gas burner on high. Cook, turning occasionally, until charred and blistered on all sides. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and steam about 3 minutes. When peppers are cool, peel and discard skin, stems, and seeds, then slice into ½-inch strips.
The Sandwiches:
Makes 2 sandwiches
3 oz. unsalted Real California butter, softened
4 slices sourdough bread
2 oz. Real California Cheddar cheese, shredded
5 oz. Real California Jack cheese, shredded
2 oz. Real California Habanero Cheddar cheese, shredded
½ oz. Real California Cotija cheese, grated
Butter one side of each slice of bread. In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook slices buttered side down until golden brown. Flip and cook non-buttered sides until golden brown. Remove bread to a work surface, buttered side down. Top each slice with .5 ounces of the Ranchera Salsa. Top each of 2 slices with half of cheddar cheese, 2 ounces roasted poblano peppers, half of Jack cheese, half of habanero cheddar, and remaining slices, buttered side out. Cook sandwiches over medium-low heat, applying light pressure, until cheese is melted and bread is deep golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Sprinkle sandwiches with ½ teaspoon cotija cheese, then cut in half at a slight angle. Plate with halves stacked, sprinkled with additional cotija and with additional ranchera salsa on the side.
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