Growing chillies in a pot on a window ledge is the way to get a better fix on the diversity of these plants, from the wildly hot habanero to the torpedo-shaped jalapeno to the mild ancho. Our pot of Anaheim chillies having grown to a decent length of about 6 or 7 inches, we pulled a few of them and used them in this delicious recipe for Potato Gordas, a Mexican dish we have adapted from a number of sources.
Potato Gordas
1 lb potatoes
4 oz large green chillies
8 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup white flour
1 cup fine corn meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Water
Oil for frying
Sprigs of coriander, for garnish
Scrub the potatoes and peel them or not, as desired. Cut them into chunks roughly the same size, and steam or boil them until tender. Pass them through a food mill or lightly break them up with a fork. Roast the chillies under a flame grill, or in a very hot oven, until they are evenly charred. Put in a covered bowl to steam for five to 10 minutes, then scrape off the skins, remove the seeds and veins, and chop them into small squares. Stir the chillies and the cheese into the potatoes then add the flour and cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add water slowly, up to one cup, until the mixture comes together. Shape the dough into patties and fry them on both sides in a generous amount of hot oil until they are nicely browned. Drain on kitchen paper and serve garnished with the coriander.