Mezcalito’s poblano soup can double as a sauce

Q: Love the poblano pepper soup at Mezcalito's Cocina Grant Park. Also love the Chino tacos. Get the soup recipe and I'll be happy. — Ed DeSimone, Atlanta

A: Nothing we like better than a happy reader. Vladimir Onysko and his partner Aurora Silva were glad to supply this recipe for Mezcalito's Poblano Pepper Soup. Onysko wrote that this dish was created when Mezcalito's opened. "I asked our main chef Francisco to help me create a good recipe for poblano sauce and soup, as I love poblanos. I thought it would be great addition to the menu in our new restaurant. Everyone fell in love with this recipe, which always come out delicious. Our chicken enchiladas with poblano sauce are my favorite."

Onysko suggests that if you’d like your soup to be a bit greener, you can add more spinach. The recipe can be served as a soup, or used as a sauce as Onysko suggests.

Mezcalito’s Poblano Pepper Soup

15 poblano peppers

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large white onion, diced

2 ribs celery, roughly chopped

2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

1/2 pound spinach leaves

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

4 cups milk

3 cups heavy cream

Kosher salt and pepper

1/2 cup crema or sour cream, for garnish

Fried tortilla strips or croutons, for garnish

Preheat broiler to high. Arrange poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning as needed, until peppers are brown or black all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to cool. Peel peppers and discard skin, stems and seeds. Roughly chop peppers and set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over high heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add chopped poblanos, spinach and cilantro, and cook until spinach is slightly wilted, about 3 minutes. Add stock and milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream. Season to taste. Use an immersion blender to puree soup. Or very carefully ladle soup into the jar of a blender and holding the lid on securely, blend soup until pureed. Serve garnished with crema or sour cream and fried tortilla strips or croutons. Makes: 17 cups

Per 1-cup serving: 267 calories (percent of calories from fat, 75), 5 grams protein, 12 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 22 grams fat (14 grams saturated), 76 milligrams cholesterol, 1,082 milligrams sodium.