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Pepper Jack Roasted Poblano Pupusa with Curtido Slaw and Salsa Roja Recipe:

Makes 10 Pupusas

Ingredients

Curtido Style Slaw – best prepared at least 4 hours in advance or even better, the day ahead.

  • 1 1/2 Cups Red Cabbage – thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 Cups Green or Savoy Cabbage – thinly sliced
  • 1/2 Red Onion – thinly sliced
  • 3 Cups Filtered Water – boiling
  • 1 Carrot - about 1/2 cup – grated
  • 1/2 Cup Radish – thinly sliced – cut into matchsticks
  • 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 – 2 Jalapeño or Serrano Peppers – thinly sliced or minced
  • 1 Garlic Clove – minced
  • 3/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt – or to taste
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Salsa Roja - can be made the day ahead

  • 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 White Onion - 1/2 cup - diced
  • 1 Small Garlic Clove - minced
  • 1 - 2 Jalapeño Pepper - sliced - roughly chopped leave the seeds in for a hot salsa or remove for a mild salsa
  • 2 Large - Tomato - diced (about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Mexican Oregano can sub regular
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt - or to taste
  • Dash Black Pepper - or to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons Filtered Water - or to taste

Filling

  • 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Large Onion - diced
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 2 Garlic Cloves - minced
  • 1 Cup Jack Cheese - shredded
  • 2 Large Poblano - roasted - destemmed - deseeded - diced

Dough

  • 1 1/2 Cups Masa Harina
  • 3/4 Cup White Rice Flour
  • 1 1/2 Filtered Water
  • 3/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Garnish options

  • Black Beans
  • Roasted Poblano
  • Avacado

Instructions

Curtido Style Slaw

  1. Place the cabbage, carrots, and onion into a large bowl.
  2. Pour the boiling water over, cover, then set aside for about 5 minutes.
  3. Drain in a colander and press out as much liquid as you can.
  4. Add back to the bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.
  5. Let set at room temperature for a couple hours, then chill.
  6. It’s even better the next day.

Salsa

  1. Add the oil into a saucepan over medium-low heat.
  2. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes then add the garlic and jalapeño sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and garlic becomes golden.
  3. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper and simmer for about 8 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. Puree the salsa in a food processor or immersion blender until smooth then stir in the water.

Filling

  1. Roast the poblano peppers on the stovetop on medium-high heat.
  2. A gas stove works the best but it will work fine on an electric stove.
  3. Char the peppers on all sides turning with a pair of tongs.
  4. When good and charred, steam them for 10 minutes in a covered dish or a paper bag rolled shut to hold in the steam.
  5. Take a paper towel and rub off the char. It’s ok to leave a little of the char.
  6. Slice in half, remove the seeds and stems and dice.
  7. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large nonstick skillet, on a medium-low heat.
  8. Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes then add the garlic and salt then saute until the garlic just starts to become golden.
  9. Add the onions to a medium sized bowl and mix together with the poblano and salt then mix in the cheese. Set aside.

Dough and Assemble

  1. Combine the masa, rice flour, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl then mix in the water.
  2. Knead the dough into a smooth, moist sticky dough.
  3. If it is too dry, you can add one teaspoon at a time of water.
  4. Wet your hands to form 10 round balls about the size of a golf ball. (I used a kitchen scale and each ball weight was 2 1/4 ounces)
  5. With your hands, press a ball into a flat disk by a bit bigger than your palm.
  6. Add 2 tablespoons of filling in the center and form the dough around the filling.
  7. Pinch the edges together, roll it into a ball and then flatten the ball to about 1/2 inch thick.
  8. Try your best to repair any holes.
  9. Place the pupusa on a large nonstick pan with some olive oil and cook on medium-high until each side is golden brown.
  10. About 3 -5 minutes on each side. Don't worry if some cheese leaks out.