Rajas Con Crema (Poblanos with Cream)

Rajas con crema is Mexican home cooking at its most irresistible. Eight poblano peppers peeled and sliced into finger-width strips, fried with sliced onions until the onions go transparent, then bathed in a cup of cream. The poblanos bring a mild, smoky heat that the cream tames into something rich and velvety.

Peeling the poblanos before slicing is essential. Char them over an open flame or under the broiler until the skins blister and blacken, then steam them in a covered bowl so the skins slip right off. That charring step is where the smoky flavor comes from, and unpeeled poblanos have a tough, papery texture that ruins the dish.

Epazote leaves are the traditional herb here, with a pungent, slightly medicinal flavor that’s impossible to replicate with another herb. If you can find it at a Mexican grocery, use it. If not, the dish still works without it, just tastes a little less authentically Mexican.

The cream goes in once the onions are transparent. A quick simmer coats the rajas in a thick, clingy sauce. Serve immediately while everything is hot and the cream is still loose.

Chef Tips

• Slice the poblanos into even strips about one finger wide. Consistent sizing means even cooking.
• Don’t overcook the onions past transparent. Browned onions change the flavor profile of this dish entirely.
• Mexican crema (or creme fraiche) is more traditional than heavy cream and adds a tangier flavor. Use it if you can find it.
• Serve alongside warm corn tortillas for tacos, or spoon over grilled chicken or steak.

Variations

• Add corn: Stir in a cup of fresh corn kernels with the onions for rajas con crema y elote, a popular variation.
• Cheese rajas: Stir in strips of Oaxaca cheese or queso fresco at the end and let it melt into the cream.
• Rajas for tacos: Pile into warm tortillas with a squeeze of lime for one of the best vegetarian tacos you’ll ever have.