Poblano and Tomatillo Potato Salad

Staying true to the rules I set for myself when in California, I made a potato salad with ingredients I wouldn’t be able to get in Lafayette. It turned out good enough to repeat. The flavors were fresh and the ingredient combination made the salad a fabulous alternative to a traditional potato salad.

I ended up roasting the poblano skins off myself, setting off the smoke detector multiple times even though the vent fan was on. I also had no idea what tomatillos looked like inside and had previously assumed they were similar to tomatoes. Just goes to show, you can learn something new everyday!

Poblano and Tomatillo Potato Salad – courtesy of Bon Appétit

3 medium poblano chilies (about 9 ounces total)
2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, each cut into 6 wedges
6 medium tomatillos (about 7 ounces), husked, cut into1/2-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin

preparation

Char chilies over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in a paper bag or (my personal favorite) wrap in paper towels. Let stand for 10 minutes. Peel and seed the chilies. Cut chilies into 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl.

Place potatoes on steamer rack set over boiling water in pot. Cover and steam until potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes. Cool. Transfer to bowl with chilies. Mix in tomatillos, green onions and chopped cilantro.

Whisk sour cream, lime juice and cumin in small bowl to blend. Add to potato mixture and toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)

Mound potato salad on platter. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve.