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Homemade Tostadas with Poblanos and Cheese
You are probably familiar with tostadas; this dish has become popular enough that it can even be found (after a fashion) in a certain widespread Mexican fast food chain which shall remain nameless here. Whether you have only tried the fast food version of this classic Mexican snack or if you have had many at your local taquerias or Mexican restaurants, you may be interested in the idea of making your own tostadas at home.
It is pretty easy to make tostadas, especially if you buy premade tostada shells - they tend to come in rather large packs, which is good, since it is hard to stop at just one; or even just two tostadas. You can top them with just about anything you like, with beans usually serving as a base to prevent the other toppings from falling off while the tostada is eaten.
However, this cheese and poblano tostada recipe takes a slightly different approach, using a blend of Mexican and Tex-Mex cheeses along with slices of poblano and jalapeno pepper to add a little color and a kick of heat to the dish.
Cheesy Poblano Jalapeno Tostadas
Ingredients -
8-12 tostada shells
½ lb Oaxaca cheese
½ lb Monterey jack cheese
⅓ lb cotija cheese
1-2 poblano peppers
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (fresh or pickled is fine)
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
Salsa and lime wedges for serving
Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Roast your poblano peppers over the flame of a gas stove or in the broiler of your stove, turning regularly until the skins are blackened and blistered. Place the roasted peppers in a paper bag and close tightly. Leave the peppers to steam in the bag for about 5 minutes, and then rub the skins off under cold running water. Slice the poblanos and jalapeno into thin rings.
Grate the cheeses and mix together. Top each tostada with a portion of cheese and a layer of poblano rings, along with a few slices of jalapeno. Bake for about 5-7 minutes, until the cheese melts. While your tostadas are in the oven, chop the cilantro. Once the tostadas are done, sprinkle each with chopped cilantro and serve at once with salsa and lime wedges.
One of the great things about tostadas is that they are exceptionally easy to make. Believe it or not, this cheese and poblano tostada recipe is actually more work than many others - since most tostada recipes do not even require baking! However, it is not a lot of effort for a whole lot of taste. Serve these tostadas along with rice and beans or a green salad as a quick and easy dinner, as a side dish or a light lunch or snack all by themselves.
(Makes 4 - 6)
