Happiness comes in many forms.  It could be a cool breeze, a smile from a stranger, a well hit golf ball, hearing “yes” when you expected to hear “no”.  Besides traversing the San Diego Freeway with minimal traffic, for me, happiness comes every Sunday morning as I weave my way through the Hollywood Farmer’s market.  Seeing many of the same people, week after week, builds a sense of community.  You can almost feel the respect paid to the hard-working farmers who carefully lay out their harvest, anticipating our needs and tempting us with some fruit or vegetable we hadn’t previously considered.

 

“Summertime, and the living’s easy”.  It’s been hot and humid this week, and when the weather is this tropical, I immediately crave summer “comfort” foods, those which evoke the casualness of both the season and the city in which I’m fortunate to live.  Often, I’m looking for something with some heat…not “heat” as in temperature, but “heat” as in spice.

 

Spicy foods, by nature, are stimulants and raise the body’s temperature.  It stands to reason, then, that if you’re in a warm climate, eating spicy foods can make you feel cooler.  Why?  Because eating these foods can induce sweating, hence they diminish the difference in temperature between you and the surrounding air.  And, as perspiration evaporates, the body cools.

 

Perhaps it’s more than a mere coincidence that many regions where the weather can get quite warm, such as Mexico, Thailand, Vietnam, spicy food, with its stimulating effect, are very popular.  Remember back to a time when you were particularly hot.  It’s likely that your appetite was suppressed; you had no interest in eating.  Nutritionally speaking, an appetite stimulant would be warranted in tropical climates, and the effects of peppery foods do just that.

 

It may have been fortuitous that, with the recent heat, I saw a pile of poblano peppers last week, and I immediately knew what to do.

 

 

In case you’re unfamiliar with poblanos, they’re a mild, heart-shaped pepper that has sturdy walls, making them perfect roasting or stuffing.  Like most peppers, while available year-round, they’re best in the summertime.  When fully ripened and dried, they’re called ancho chiles, and are commonly used in Mexican cuisine.

 

Poblanos are the pepper of choice for one of my favorite Mexican comfort foods, tacos con rajas.  What’s a raja?  Technically, in Spanish, “raja”, means strips, but in Mexican cooking, it refers to chiles that have been roasted, peeled and cut into strips.  Typically, they’re sauteed, mixed with onions and used as a condiment for a variety of meats.  Or, as you see here, stuffed into warm tortillas and served as tacos.

 

I first had tacos con rajas years ago at a Mexican cooking class I took at the Border Grill.  It was love at first bite.  The slightly spicy peppers were mixed with cooked potato and sauteed onions, creating a warm, earthy taco, perfect with a cold beer, but that’s a different story.

 

Tacos con Rajas

Serves 4

 

1 large russet potato, cooked, peeled and cut into 3/4″ cubes

4 T butter

1 large onion, thinly sliced

6 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled and cut into 1/2″ strips

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup heavy cream, or to taste

8 warm tortillas (I prefer corn, but use what makes you happy)

1/3 cup queso cotilla (or feta)

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

 

Method

In a large skillet, melt the butter.  Add the sliced onion and saute for 5-7 minutes, until soft.  Add the roasted poblano chiles and, over low heat, cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the potatoes, salt and cream and heat, just until the cream begins to bubble.

 

Remove from the heat and stuff the rajas in warm tortillas.  Garnish with cheese and cilantro.

 

I’ve always found that the best way to learn about any given cuisine is to visit the country (or region) where that food originates.  Often, though, that’s not possible.  Mexican cooking classes, or, in fact any class devoted to your region of interest, be it Thai, Vietnamese, or Italian, is the next best solution.  Be guided by chefs who are well-versed in the region, from a cultural and culinary perspective, and you’ll walk away with the tools to launch your virtual vacation.

 

This summer, the New School of Cooking is offering a variety of regional classes, and one is certain to pique your interest.  Visit Southeast Asia with us as May Parich shares her knowledge and passion for the food of Thailand with either Thai Noodles or The Foods of Southern Thailand.  And, if Mexican cooking classes sound enticing, take a look at either Street Foods of Mexico or our three-week Regional Mexico Series where we’ll travel through this country of vast culinary variety, each region distinct and unique.

 

Perhaps you’re simply interested in comfort food, American style.  In that case, Summer Comfort is for you, with barbecued chicken, stuffed pattypan squash and wine-marinated flank steak on the menu.

 

It bears repeating: Happiness comes in many forms.  Sharing a meal with those whom you love is near the top of my “happiness inducing” activity list.  Take a look at the summer catalog, find something that interests you, then let us help you hone your culinary skills.

 

We look forward to seeing you in our kitchen.

 

Cindi