Copyright 2010 The San Francisco Chronicle From the end of summer to the middle of winter, I track chiles with the weather, stretching my own personal chile season out as long as I can. My favorite chile? The poblano at the height of the season, when it is forest green, shiny and crisp. Later, it will start to turn red and become the precursor to the dried ancho chile, becoming sweeter and as fruity as a raisin. When I see mounds of poblanos in local farmers' markets, I cannot help but think of rajas, the strips of charred and peeled poblanos that are the standby of classic Mexican cooking. I became addicted during my years in Queretaro, Mexico, but I found my favorite rendition of rajas here in California at the Super Rica taco stand, Julia Child's beloved spot for Mexican food during her later years in Santa Barbara. You can add rajas to a variety of dishes to punch up flavor: simple tacos and burritos, meat loaf and pots of chili and stews. Or, you can use them in the accompanying vegetarian filling for delicate enchiladas. You can also make a batch of rajas and freeze them. That's what I do to enjoy poblanos all year long. My Favorite Rajas Makes 2 cups These rajas are a basic item in my kitchen. If I have them, I can fix anything and they simply perpetuate the myth that a mushroom-shaped chile cloud hangs over my kitchen at all times. 1 tablespoon canola oil or mild-flavored olive oil 2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion 6 poblano chiles, charred, peeled, seeds removed (see Note) 3 cloves minced garlic 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon minced fresh or dried oregano 2 jalapeno chiles, optional 2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth For queso fundido (optional) 1/2 pound mozzarella, Monterey Jack or asadero cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/4 cup crema mexicana or whipping cream (do not use sour cream) Tostada chips or warm tortillas Instructions: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet; add the onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Cut the roasted poblano chiles into 1/4-inch wide strips and add to the onions; cook another 5 minutes, adding the garlic, salt and herbs toward the end. For more heat, finely chop some of the optional jalapeno and add to taste. Add the broth and simmer over low until most of the liquid is gone, about 10 minutes or less. The rajas are now ready to use in queso fundido, in the accompanying enchilada filling, or as a relish with steak or roast chicken. For queso fundido: Add the cheese and cream to the rajas and simmer, stirring, over low heat just until the cheese melts, a couple of minutes. Serve immediately as a dip with tostada chips or warm corn tortillas. Note: Char poblano chiles over a gas flame, or grill or broil them (use a foil-lined baking sheet) until blackened, turning to char all sides. Per 1/2 cup rajas: 85 calories, 2 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 608 mg sodium, 2 g fiber. (i(Jacqueline Higuera McMahan's family lived on one of the last Spanish land-grant ranchos in the Bay Area. She is the author of 'California Rancho Cooking' (Sasquatch Books; 2003). E-mail her at foodsfchronicle.com. (/i(-------------------------------------------------- Tortilla Crepe Enchiladas Vegetarian Main Dish Serves 4 Most people don't think of crepes as Mexican but they go back to the criollo period in Mexico, which was short, but the savvy Mexicans kept their favorite French recipes. I started making these tortilla crepes years ago for my original 'California Rancho Cooking' cookbook. The crepes, sauce and filling can all be made ahead; assemble the dish just before baking. Tortilla crepes 1/2 cup masa harina (dehydrated masa, Maseca brand preferred) 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon sugar 3 large eggs 1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk 4 to 5 tablespoons melted butter + more as needed Filling 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper 8 red bell pepper strips, about 1/4-inch long 2 small zucchini (about 2 cups finely diced) 2 cups chopped baby spinach Vegetable broth, as needed 3/4 cup prepared rajas (see recipe above) 1/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese Sauce and assembly 3/4 cup prepared rajas (see recipe above) 1/2 cup heavy cream or crema mexicana 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese Chopped cilantro, optional garnish For the crepe batter: Make the crepe batter at least 1 hour ahead to allow a resting period. Place masa harina, flour, salt, sugar, eggs and milk into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just until blended. With the machine running, drizzle in 3 tablespoons of the melted butter. Blend quickly. Pour batter into a bowl, cover and refrigerate. Meanwhile, make the filling. For the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the diced red pepper and cook about a minute, then push it to one side of skillet. Add the red pepper strips and saute for 1 minute more. Remove strips and reserve for garnish. Add the diced zucchini to the diced peppers, and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and enough vegetable broth to moisten. Simmer for just a minute, then stir in 3/4 cup of the prepared rajas. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in about 1/4 cup of the cheese, just enough to bind the filling together. For the sauce: Place the remaining 3/4 cup of the rajas into the bowl of a food processor. Add the cream, salt and vegetable broth. Coarsely puree, leaving bits of chile; set aside or refrigerate until ready to use. To cook the crepes: Have ready the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons of melted butter, a pastry brush, a 1/4-cup measuring cup, the bowl of crepe batter and a rubber spatula for loosening edges of the crepe. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat; brush lightly with some of the melted butter. Scoop out 1/4 cup batter. Tilt the pan, pour in the batter, then immediately swirl just enough so the batter goes a little bit up the sides of the pan. This will give the crepes lacy golden edges. Keep swirling to cover bottom evenly. Return to the heat and cook at least half a minute, or until the bottom of the crepe is lightly golden. Gently run a spatula around the edges of crepe to loosen it and turn it over. Cook for about 45 seconds more. Slide tortilla crepe onto a plate. Continue with remaining batter. Makes about 12 crepes. Assemble enchiladas within an hour of making the crepes. Otherwise, stack them between parchment or wax paper, and refrigerate or freeze. To assemble and bake: Preheat the oven to 400. Brush the remaining melted butter in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Lay out a crepe (with the pretty side facing down) on a flat plate, place 1/4 cup filling closer to one edge, then roll up. Place seam-side down in the dish. Roll up the remaining 7 enchiladas; enjoy any remaining tortilla crepes as a later snack. Pour the remaining sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup grated cheese. Place strips of the reserved red pepper over each enchilada. Bake until the enchiladas are hot throughout and the cheese on top is bubbly, about 15 minutes (longer if the crepes, sauce and filling were made ahead and refrigerated). Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving, if desired. Per serving: 550 calories, 30 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, 42 g fat (22 g saturated), 235 mg cholesterol, 1,105 mg sodium, 4 g fiber. Wine pairing: A refreshing, lager-style beer is a natural choice for this dish. 