Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Fonda San Miguel: Thirty Years of Food and Art, by Tom Gilliland, Miguel Ravago, and Virginia B. Wood.
Chef Miguel Ravago also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.
This delicate soufflélike dish, the Mexican counterpart to the spoon bread of the American South, is invariably the most popular dish on the Hacienda Sunday Brunch Buffet. It is especially good served with grilled meats, ham, or turkey in mole.
·The poblano chile is dark green, five to six inches long, and triangular in shape, with a wide stem end. Strips of roasted poblanos are called rajas. Roast until charred and blistered in a broiler or over an open flame, using tongs. Put in a paper bag and allow them to sweat for 10 to 15 minutes. Using rubber gloves, peel off the charred outer skin. (Do not peel roasted chiles under running water or most of the roasted flavor will be lost.) Cut off the stem end and slice the peppers lengthwise into thin, 1/4-inch strips. Be careful not to rub your eyes, nose, or mouth when handling chiles, as they will burn.
·You can use any combination of vegetables in the corn pudding, Ravago says, as long as the quantities are the same as for the corn. Just make sure the vegetables are fresh, as frozen will give off too much water.
·The corn pudding is delicious served warm or at room temperature, but Ravago suggests baking as close to serving as possible, as the soufflélike consistency will fall as it cools. • The corn pudding can also be made in individual serving sizes. Simply bake in small ramekins.
