A Pati Jinich Recipe
Huitlacoche, Corn & Squash Blossom Crepes with Poblano Sauce
8 to 10 crepes
Crepas de Huitlacoche, Elote y Flor de Calabaza con Salsa Poblana
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 4 poblano chiles roasted or charred, sweated, stemmed and seeded
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon, all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Mexican cream, Latin-style cream, crème fraîche or heavy cream
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the filling:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or pressed
- 3 cups fresh huitlacoche, shaved off the cob, thawed from frozen, or 2 7-ounce cans
- 6 cups rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped squash blossoms, or 1 1-pound jar squash blossoms, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn kernels, shaved from cob, or thawed from frozen
To assemble:
- 1 batch of homemade crepes
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco, or mild feta cheese for garnish
To Prepare
To make the sauce:
- Coarsely chop the prepared poblano chiles. Place them in the blender along with the milk and purée until completely smooth.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Once bubbly, add the flour to make a roux: stir it often until the paste smells toasty, its color turns a pale golden brown, and it appears to be a bit foamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour the chile purée over the roux paste, reduce heat to medium low and stir well, so that it is fully combined and has no lumps. Stir in the Mexican cream, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and nutmeg. Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan, until it thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes.
To prepare the filling:
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add remaining tablespoon of butter along with the oil. Once it is melted and bubbly, add the onion. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until completely wilted and the edges are barely beginning to brown. Add the garlic, stir and cook for another minute. Stir in the huitlacoche, the squash blossoms and the corn and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let it all cook, stirring often, until it is completely heated through and the squash blossoms have wilted entirely, about 3 minutes.
To assemble the crepes:
- Heat the crepes one by one over an already hot non-stick skillet set over medium-low heat, about 10 seconds per side. Place on a plate, add 3 tablespoons of filling and roll as if it were a chubby taco. Place seam side down on a platter. Continue with all remaining crepes. Pour the heated poblano sauce all over the top and sprinkle with the queso fresco. Serve while hot.
- NOTE: You can also place the filled crepes in a buttered baking dish, cover with the sauce, and instead of queso fresco use grated melty cheese to cover. Place in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes and serve.
