Aunt Laura’s Tuna-Stuffed Chiles

Name: Aunt Laura’s Tuna-Stuffed Chiles
Yield: serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 3/4 cup sliced carrot; Two 6-ounce cans albacore tuna in water, drained; 3 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 cup fresh peas (from 1 pound in the shell); 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 ear); Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2/3 cup olive oil; 2 small red onions, thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves; 2/3 cup distilled white vinegar; 2 bay leaves; 2 teaspoons crumbled dried oregano; 8 Anaheim chiles, charred (see page 35), peeled, stemmed, and seeded, left whole for stuffing

December 20, 2011

Yes, I use canned tuna for this dish—and you will love it. I generally prefer fresh ingredients over packaged items, but these stuffed peppers are worth breaking the rule. The mild flavor of the canned albacore allows the flavor of the pickled onions to shine through. My aunt Laura, who passed this recipe on to me, makes it with canned chiles (they are available in Mexico already charred, peeled, and ready to stuff). But for me, half of this dish’s success is the exquisite smell of the chiles charring on the burner. You can’t buy anticipation in a can.

Recipe notes

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