Budín de Elote con Queso de Cabra y Chiles Poblanos / Corn and Goat Cheese Tart with Poblano Chilies

Poblano chiles are alternately called Pasilla chiles.  When they are eaten green, they are Poblano, but when they are dried, they are called Pasilla, Ancho or Mulato.  Poblano indicates that it comes from the state of Puebla.   Mild in flavor and heat, poblanos are large, dark green and conically-shaped.

2.5 lbs. Organic white corn

1 cup Cornmeal - soaked for 

24 hours in 1/2 cup slaked lime*

6 Eggs

2 tsp. Baking soda

8 oz. Butter - melted and slightly cooled

1 T Salt

1/4 tsp. Freshly grated nutmeg

11 oz. Fresh goat cheese, crumbled

1 lb. Poblano chilies

Over a gas flame, char the poblano chilies, turning the chilies over with long tongs to expose them evenly to the heat.  The skins should blister and char.As each one is done, put it in a paper bag and tightly close after each one.  You want to create a sweat in the bag. When all the chilies are done, close the bag and set aside for about 20 minutes.  Tear open the bag and holding the chile under a trickle of running water, scrape the charred skin off the chile and cut stem and the seed pod out.   Open them up and lay them flat cut into long strips. Reserve some of the strips to decorate the tart and roughly chop the rest.

Soaking the cornmeal is a way to improve the amino acid quality of the proteins in the germ, thereby making it more digestible. 

Grind the corn, cornmeal, eggs, baking soda, butter and nutmeg.  Place in a bowl and add most of the crumbled goat cheese, reserving some for the top of the tart and the roughly chopped poblanos.  Pour into a prepared (buttered) casserole or tart dish.  Make a lattice-work pattern with the reserved long strips and sprinkle the reserved crumbled goat cheese over all.

Bake in a preheated 425˚ oven for 40 minutes or until golden on top.  Serves 4-6.

*To make lime water, put 1 inch of dolomite powder in a 2-quart jar.  Fill jar with filtered water, shake well, cover tightly and let stand overnight.  The powder will settle and the resultant clear liquid is lime water. Store in a cool place and use for soaking cornmeal by pouring out carefully.  [from "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon}