A Celebration of Six Years - Thai Vegetable Curry Cooked Inside a Pumpkin

This is Blog Appetit's sixth blog-o-versary. I like to mark my blog's anniversary with either mawkish sentiment or a celebration recipe.  This year I did both. You can read the sentimental part here. Now on to the recipe.

There's a lot of background on this pumpkin curry dish. First I love Thai pumpkin curry in all of its guises and wanted to create my own version.  Next I love baking things in pumpkins -- to date I've made custards, South American corn stew, turkey chilis and soups in pumpkins, so I've got a theme going on. (Unfortunately, none of these dishes are on the blog. Yet.)  I also like cooking with pumpkins and winter squash so you'll find lots of recipes and how tos on the blog for that.  And when it comes to cooking savory dishes in a pumpkin my preference is for the tasty, nutty flesh of the kabocha, also called Japanese pumpkin and a type of winter squash that is reportedly used in Thailand.

Also, aside from whacking off the pumpkin "lid" and cleaning out those pesky strings and seeds (really it should just take you a few minutes), it is a very easy recipe but has a wonderful wow factor making it a perfect celebration dinner dish.  Like for a blog-o-versary.

Thai Vegetarian Curry Baked in a Pumpkin
Serves 4-6

You may be able to “harvest” the cup of squash chunks for the stir fry during your pumpkin prep. If not, use the sweet potato pieces instead. (If you need tips on cutting and cleaning a pumpkin, please check out my pumpkin "boot camp" post.) If you are avoiding animal products, be sure to read the ingredient label of your red curry paste. Some are made with shrimp and many have fish sauce. The level of spiciness varies between brands of curry paste, so you may need to increase or decrease the amount accordingly. This recipe will serve about 4 people if it’s the only main dish but more if there are other entrees or a lot side dishes. I served this over red jasmine rice, but regular white or brown jasmine or other rice would work well.

1 large kobacha pumpkin
15 oz. can regular or light coconut milk
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 ½ cups chopped onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 large carrot, cut into ¼” rounds
1 cup of ½” red pepper chunks
2 cups of ½” chunks of Asian, Thai or Italian eggplant (unpeeled)
1 cup ½” winter squash or sweet potato chunks
2 cups quartered button or crimini mushroom caps
1 Tbs. (or to taste) prepared red curry paste
2 cups ½” cubes of wheat gluten and or pressed, firm tofu
½ cup fresh Thai or Italian basil, divided.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut top off pumpkin, reserve. Clean out seeds and strings. Pour can of coconut milk into pumpkin. Cover with reserved lid. Put on a rimmed baking dish or pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes until just tender.

While the pumpkin is baking, make the curry. Heat oil in wok or large fry pan. Sauté onions, garlic and ginger until the onions are beginning to brown and soften. Add the carrots and peppers and stir fry or sauté for a few minutes until slightly charred and browned. Add eggplant and squash chunks. Stir fry or sauté until eggplant and squash have begun to soften and brown. Add mushrooms. Stir fry or sauté for a minute then add the red curry paste. Mix well. Add the wheat gluten or tofu and continue to stir fry or sauté for a few minutes. Take off heat and reserve until the pumpkin is ready.

Once the pumpkin’s flesh is just tender (test with a fork), remove the baking pan from the oven, but keep the oven on. Wearing oven mitts, remove top and carefully pour coconut milk into stir fry vegetable mixture. Be careful not to rip or tear the pumpkin shell. Bring vegetables and coconut milk to a simmer, stirring frequently until the vegetables are almost cooked through and the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce. Taste and add more red curry paste if desired. Stir in ¼ cup of the basil, cooking for an additional minute. Spoon curry inside pumpkin until packed, replace pumpkin lid and return to the baking dish and place in the oven for about 30 minutes or until pumpkin flesh is soft all the way through and curry is heated through. To serve, remove the lid, sprinkle with remaining basil and scoop out some of the pumpkin flesh with the curry.

A note about pumpkin size and integrity. If your squash proves to be too small (which has happened to me), just reheat your extra veggie curry and serve alongside the pumpkin encased version, or refill your pumpkin as the contents diminish. I did have an unfortunate tear when I poured out the coconut milk from the pumpkin in the photo above but was able to “mend” the rip with skewers and the squash held together admirably during cooking.

8 Ways to Serve Latkes -- Plus a Zippy Cranberry Pot Roast Recipe

Mixed latkes with spiced and regular
applesauce and salad with goat cheese.

We are at the halfway point of Chanukah and I thought some of you out there might need some fresh ideas on how to serve the traditional potato pancakes.  So, check out my ideas to light up latkes for the remaining nights of the holiday and as a special present at the end, my favorite pot roast recipe to go with them.  Don't save this Zippy Cranberry Pot Roast just for Chanukah (or Hanukkah) it's great for any meal and the leftovers are wonderful.

So here are eight ways to enjoy your potato pancakes. (Need a recipe for latkes, check out shortcut latkes here and my traditional recipe here.

1. With spiced applesauce. Warm homemade unsweetened, chunky applesauce and for each 2 cups of sauce, add 1 tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. allspice and a pinch of ground cloves. Add brown sugar to taste if desired. Simmer until spices have blended. Taste and add more of the spices if you want a stronger flavor. Serve warm atop latkes with sour cream or yogurt.

2. With a side of red cabbage and apples. Peel, core and thinly slice a large tart, firm apple. Sauté in butter or oil until softened. Drain a jar of purchased pickled red cabbage and toss with the apples. Heat through. Taste. Add a tsp. of sugar and or a Tbs. of apple cider vinegar if needed to make sweet and sour to your liking. Taste again and adjust as needed.

3. Sprinkled with sugar. While I had not heard about this tradition until recently, I researched it and for many people it wouldn’t be Chanukah without sugar on their potato pancakes.

4. With an egg on top. A recent acquaintance told me how delicious a freshly poached or fried egg is served on top of a crispy latke. Nice for breakfast or a light entrée. Top with a sprinkle of chopped green onions or chives, a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Serve on a bed of frisee lettuce for a really gourmet brunch.

5. Crumbled as a soup topping. I like to scatter bits of leftover latkes on top of a sweet potato, butternut squash or red lentil and tomato soup. Combine ½ tsp. curry powder (or more to taste) with a cup of Greek-style yogurt, stir well and garnish the soup with dollops of this as well. (Or skip the soup and try serving the latkes with mango chutney and the curried yogurt topping.)

6. Bite size as a base for appetizer toppings ranging from bits of smoked salmon or a pinch salmon roe atop a dab of sour cream to hummus topped with chopped green olives or bits of preserved lemon (available in jars at some markets).

7. As a foil for a spicy sauce. Try squirting a little Sriracha chili paste sauce or other hot sauce on your latke, serving with some fresh salsa or eating with a sweet and spicy fruit sauce such as this one from “Cooking Jewish” by Judy Bart Kancigor (Workman). Combine in a medium sauce pan 1-16 oz. can pitted black cherries (slice first) plus the liquid from the can, ¾ cup of raisins, 1 cup white wine, 2-24 oz. bottles of Heinz or other chili sauce and 1/3 cup of dark brown sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until reduced down and thick, about 20 minutes.

8. As a side dish to my favorite pot roast recipe with cranberries. 
Zippy Cranberry Pot Roast
Serves 8

Adapted from “The Jewish Holiday Cookbook” by Gloria Kaufer Greene (Times Books).

I wish I could take credit for this recipe. It’s easy and delicious and is a perfect partner to crispy fried potato latkes. I’ve made it with all sorts of cuts of meat, prepared it in the pressure cooker, and even cooked it ahead, frozen the sliced meat in the sauce and reheated it and this recipe has never failed to be anything but wonderful. The rich meat, spicy horseradish and tangy cranberries all really complement the latkes. This pot roast is also good over egg noodles. Be sure you keep cooking the meat until it gets really tender. My family likes when it is falling-apart soft.

1-15 oz. can of plain tomato sauce
1-14 to 16 oz. can of whole cranberry sauce
1 Tbs. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. powdered mustard
3 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
¼ cup red wine
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 lbs. boneless chuck roast

Combine tomato sauce, cranberry sauce, horseradish, mustard, vinegar, wine or juice and oil in a large Dutch oven or other pot. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat. Lower heat until just simmering and cook for 5 minutes. Trim all excess fat from the roast and add to pot. Turn in sauce to cover. Cover pot and simmer over low heat, basting meat and turning occasionally. Cook for 2 to 4 hours or until the meat is very tender and no longer chewy. Remove meat from sauce. Leave pot uncovered and raise heat to medium high and cook down the sauce, stirring occasionally until it is as thick as you’d like. Cut meat into thick slices across the grain. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat on the serving platter and put the rest in a bowl to serve alongside.

How do you like to serve your latkes?  Please leave your ideas and any links in the comments section. Thanks!
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About the photo: Latkes, latkes everywhere at a recent latke tasting party.
A version of this article appeared previously in the Temple Beth Abraham Omer.

Las Vegas Winner

On our lastest visit to Las Vegas we had a winner of a meal at Mario Batali's Enoteca San Marcos at the Venetian. A highlight was Gary's seafood stew.

More later

Live From Las Vegas!

Hi from the back room of the beautiful furniture showroom I work at the World Market Center in Las Vegas. I have lots of updates on my experiences ranging from Hawiian broth to famous eateries. Watch this space for an update after I return home.

More From Las Vegas

I've borrowed my husband's laptop and thought I would take a minute and update on more Vegas food.

Had another good meal at Second Street Grille at the Fremont Hotel (downtown). This is the third time we've eaten there in the five times I've come for market. It is a wood paneled enclave inside a visually and aurally busy casino. The food is Pacific fusion, the service is seamless, the prices are reasonable. Like all downtown restos they have their steak, but you can also get many more imaginative dishes here.

Downtown Vegas is changing, more about that in another post. We also ate at the Golden Nugget Buffet (we ate there in January, too.) It served the purpose on a night when we were tired and everything that seemed more upgrade restaurants in DOWNTOWN Vegas (Fremont Street) were booked solid. On a Monday night.

We got a good pastrami sandwich and chopped liver (just a light snack) at Canter's Deli in Treasure Island, an otherwise avoidable casino. Warning, it's in a noisy corner of a noisy casino.

Thanks to a typo in a local magazine, we headed out to see the Rio's free show in the sky on a Wednesday night. The show was dark that night. (The mag had it on Mon - Thurs when it really was Thursday through Monday). We did feel we beat the system any how by taking a free shuttle from our trade show to Harrahs and a free shuttle from Harrahs to the Rio (which meant only one cab fare to get back to our hotel.)

Highlights of the Rio: the view from the Voodoo Steakhouse (or Lounge), the almost-there outfits of the cocktail waitresses (how do they keep that on was one question that came to mind) and the great stuff at the Rio gift shop. Lots of voodoo and skeleton themed merchandise from picture frames to shot glasses to sweatshirts, all really pretty reasonably priced. (FYI -- the steak and the bread (many types, all good) were the best things about the Voodoo Steakhouse, although the decor is tasty. Since you can't eat the walls, try one of Vegas' many other steak houses and just go to the lounge for a drink instead.)

I'm a girl who against all sense and sensibility likes a buffet. So since we were at the Rio anyway, we thought we'd check out the hotel's widely praised buffets for future consideration. Eeech. The seafood buffet ($38 each the night we were there) offers the usual assortment of king crab legs, mysterious seafood stews, and a few choices of sushi along with oysters. It was unappealing in very many ways, but the room was very cleverly decorated and designed. Feast with your eyes only. The regular buffet ($24 the night we were there), skipped the oysters, added more ethnic food (the Asian selections actually looked appealing), but also failed to impress us.

We will go back to the Rio to check out the free show in the sky (Mardi Gras floats and entertainers), to maybe bowl a few at the Lucky Strike Lanes and maybe walk across the street to the Palms and check out the restaurants there.

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About the photo: Vintage sign. Taken downtown at the Neon Musuem

Report from Las Vegas

I'm on one of my twice-yearly business trips to Las Vegas.
Unexpectedly we had some free time yesterday so we rented a car and drove to Hoover Dam. Much about the project (scope, construction, innovations, art deco design) are admirable. The location (in Black Canyon) is unbelievable. Some of the water history that led to its being built and the "spoiling" of such a natural wonder do leave some lingering questions.

On the way there we stopped at Boulder City. It was a "blast to the past." Once Nevada's largest city (population was then 7,000) it still retains elements of being a company town for the Six Companies, the corporations that banded together to build the mighty dam. Don't get me wrong there were lots of chain choices for fast food, but also lots of interesting seeming local ones. We at the Southwest Diner, where the prices, the quantity and the quality of the food were all very satisfactory. For under $10 you could get a pot roast dinner with soup or salad, mashed potatoes or fries, string beans and a dish of ice cream for dessert. The food and the decor at the restaurant were all on the homey side with lots of cutesy displays of Americana. The service was great. I had the taco salad and Gary had the pulled pork.

That night we tried the buffet at the Wynn. Many people had recommended it to us. It had all the requisite touches buffets in Vegas all have these days -- cooking stations with a variety of ethnic foods, lots of crab legs, sushi (a bit more limited than some), and a big carving station.
I particularly enjoyed the New Zealand lamb chops, the fig sauce from the grilled pork with fennel pollen (if the pollen was there it wasn't enough to either make me sneeze or taste it) and the wonderful selection of salads and cerviches. My big disappointment is that the dessert station ran out of candy apples before I could get one. While I thoroughly enjoyed the Wynn buffet, so far my favorite is the Le Village Buffet at the Paris.

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About the photos: Looking down from Hoover dam, neon red candy apples at the Wynn buffet.

This Just In

I'm back from Las Vegas. My husband and I are reps for several manufacturers and it was great to see the numbers of buyers that attended our industry's semi-annual market in Lost Wages. At one point in one (very large) showroom I looked up and I literally could not see the floor for the buyers. Let's hope it bodes well for the economy.

While in Vegas, Mr. Blog Appetit and I played blackjack for about a half hour on $20 total, which I thought was pretty amazing. We ate in one of the worst restaurants I've ever eaten at anywhere (a Southern comfort spot in Harrah's where even the chicken soup was inedible), saw a show (comedian Rita Rudner) at Harrah's which is why we were eating there to begin with. (By the way, she was very entertaining, but on the way home I watched a video of her in the airport where she was doing choice bits from her act. My new tip for freebies in Vegas -- watch all the comedians on the airport videos.) , had way too much steak and lots of seafood. Vegas will get it's own write up soon.

What have I been cooking? Well, this past week I've been under the weather and a scrambled egg and microwaved water has been about it. The week before that I was in Vegas. Before that, however, do I have dishes to dish -- from goulash to doro wat. And a new piece of kitchen equipment to rhapsodize about (A Rhapsody in Blue). Watch this space.

On the Road to China. I'm off in less than two weeks to China, including a cooking class in Shanghai, a meal in a local home near Beijing and more. I usually don't post while I'm on the road, but I will be taking pictures and notes, so more on China when I return in March.

How Sweet it Was -- Local See's Candies Store Closes Unexpectedly. It was one of the last "neighborhood" style stores I knew of around here, the rest are in malls. One of the oldest stores in the See's chain, it had a quaint art deco charm. The signage and candy maybe gone and the for lease sign up, but I bet the place still smells of chocolate. The community staged on uprising when the store's closing was proposed four years ago and the location was kept open. This time there was no warning, just a sign in the window one morning. Also, I noticed the See's in my mall of choice has moved to a more out-of-the way, smaller location. I guess even See's Candies needs to tighten its belt in this business climate despite being owned by Berkshire-Hathaway. Memo to Warren Buffett -- Save My See's! (For more on See's Candies including links to my reviews and calorie counts, click here.)

Las Vegas Bound

I'm off to do my "day job" at my semi-annual trade show in Las Vegas.
Watch this space for a write up of all the tasty doings I somehow always manage to do after work is through.

What I've Done (and Eaten) This Summer (So Far)

I'm back. It's been a busy summer. I've spent more time on the road for work and pleasure than I have at home and it's not over yet. I leave on August 26 for a tour of Eastern Europe and the Danube from Bucharest to Budapest. More on that later.

Where in the world have I been?

Two visits to Pinecrest, CA, with its lovely lake and alumni family camp where my oldest is a staffer this summer. I have no culinary glories to report, although a good time was had by all.

One trip to suburban Long Island, New York to visit my sisters and their families. I spent one day in the "big city" and had a very, very disappointing meal at the Empire Diner. This diner is one of those restored classics and one of the earliest to have been restored and converted to a "modern" menu. The best of the meal was the sweet potato fries which had a spicy brown sugary finish. I also had a very dry brioche at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (which fortunately had lots of tasty art to consume -- check out the newish Greco-Roman art galleries) and a fun time re-exploring the Chelsea Food Market, home of Food Network. (I saw a few empty studios but no Rachael Ray or Emeril sightings.)

My middle sister is an accomplished cook and her husband is an accomplished deep sea fisherman, so even if they didn't catch it, she cooked it and it was wonderful. I came home with a cache of fresh yellowtail tuna and frozen bluefin.

I also spent a week in Las Vegas. In July. It was 100 degrees at night at 11:30 p.m. and you couldn't even claim it was a dry heat since it rained several times. My husband and I are manufacturers' reps and we were working a trade show in town. I patrolled a showroom the size of Texas (well, it was 10,000 sq ft on a concrete floor with no rugs, so it felt like it anyway) and he went between three showrooms in two buildings. We worked hard and it was hectic, but we found some time for fun. Tops on that list, the show "O" at the Bellagio (Cirque du Soleil gets wet) and Mario Batalia's new restaurant at the Venetian, B&B. The food at B&B started off amazing and ended up being good. Think of it as the type of food your grandmother might cook if she had unlimited access to the best ingredients, was a gourmet and was an Italian peasant.

The marinated anchovies were brined perfectly, the texture still firm and the bite of the vinegar sharp without being overwhelming. My reaction to the mini ravioli stuffed with lamb brains in butter, lemon and sage sauce was mixed. The sauce was divine, the lamb brain stuffing more of a fluffy texture than a taste but worked well since it had a slight game note that cut through the butter sauce. The pasta dough was a bit thick and tough. The main course translated out from the Italian to be braised beef. On the plate it translated to a chunk of pot roast without enough sauce. You had to look really close to find the polenta it was served with. I've never seen a serving of grain that insubstantial before. It came under the heading of why bother. It certainly didn't add to the dish. The beef had a nice taste but was very dry.

Dessert was cinnamon ricotta fritters and a chocolate-hazelnut dipping sauce. I thought this was incredible. Gary was not that impressed and didn't finish his half, which left more for me.

The restaurant had only been opened for two months but you would never know it, the service was personable, modern and just right. The wine choices are amazing (B&B's co-owner is a wine importer) and I thought reasonably priced for the style of restaurant and location. Prices in general were about $25-29 for a main course which is not unusual for a Vegas "name" restaurant, but portion sizes of all but the main course were small. Since my husband I usually share that means minuscule. (I got two filets of those wonderful, but tiny anchovies and about six or so mini raviolis.)

The photo is of a small bookcase at B&B. The cookbooks are Molto Mario's and for sale. The orange clogs are presumed to be Mario's as well but are not for sale.

A Visit to Paris (The Casino)

On my recent trip to Las Vegas, I spent a few hours in Paris. I didn't bother paying to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower since somehow I knew when I got to the top there would be no view of the Seine and I didn't want to spoil whatever illusions the place was capable of creating.

Unfortunately most of my photos didn't come out thanks to the perpetual twilight of casino lighting but the place had its charms with lots of Napoleonic, Haussman, Art Nouveau and Art Deco touches and a beautifully painted "sky" to help one pretend. I was enthralled with the five cent slot signs for some reason. The juxtaposition of my beloved Paris iconography and the Vegas mentality just made me giggle.

We did eat at Le Village, Paris' (indoor) outdoor buffet. In an ersatz courtyard under an ersatz sky surrounded by food stations each modeled after an area of France and offering a version of food celebrated by that region, we set up camp near the dessert station (I needed to keep an eye on the assorted tarts, brulees and other goodies so I could pace my consumption of everything else) and began our gastronomical tour of a Vegas buffet French style.

Over near the Provencal section I found an assortment of perfectly grilled vegetables and sauces, including aoili, pistou and black olive tapenade. Gary found the king crab legs (this is a Vegas buffet, after all). There was a lovely roast duck in honey lavender sauce, a surprisingly good coq au vin and lots more. Pretty much anything with a sauce was a winner, especially since most hot food was being made in small batches and replenished often. Of course there were the carving stations with acres of roasted animals, but we decided to focus on the more specialized offerings.

My one disappointment? No cassoulet. And, when I asked about the availability of this famous French dish, one of the chefs had absolutely NO idea what I was talking about, and after I described the dish to him, he still had no clue. Oh well, there was bouillabaisse at least.

This buffet was probably worth it just for the desserts ranging from American brownies (I am always surprised when I am in Europe how much the rest of the world has come to love this humble treat) and apple pies to cups of chocolate mousse, creme brulees, eclairs and other pastries, fruit tarts, clafoutis, cakes and much, much more. There were even sugar-free goodies, but why?

I return to Las Vegas in July (again for business) and I'd love to know about your buffet and restaurant experiences. If you have any recommendations (or must avoids), please leave me a comment below or email me through my profile.

Taking a Gamble on Cauliflower -- Recipe a Winner Thanks to Mesa Grill

One of the more renowned restaurants I ate at in Las Vegas was Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill. The grill was recommended to me by food-loving friends who had eaten their way around the strip and assured me the food was very special there.

Rose and Jerry were right. Gary and I loved the grouper and shrimp cerviche (at right), the vegetarian chile rellano stuffed with acorn squash, cheese and fig jam served in a sweet-hot sauce (above) and the grilled mahi mahi with a salsa and yet another fruity sweet hot sauce. (Warning, if you don’t like fruit-flavored hot pepper sauces, this is not the restaurant for you.) The dessert, a cajeta cheese tart, was so amazing we ate the whole thing before I remembered to take a photo.

One of the dishes the restaurant, located in the Caesar’s Palace hotel and casino, that wowed us was baked cauliflower and green pepper, served to us in an adorable, minature Staub casserole dish. The mixture was wonderful with the occasional punch of the pepper smoothed by the creamy sauce and the cauliflower adding a the slightest hint of crunch and earthiness.

That creamy dish was the inspiration for a cauliflower gratin I made just a few days after we returned home. My version is heartier with much less cheese and cream and, by using fresh roasted poblano peppers, packs a bit more heat and spice. I also baked mine in a gratin dish instead of a covered casserole so there were lots of nice browned bits to provide textural contrast to the cauliflower. (The photo on the left is of my version of the dish)

Cauliflower and Poblano Chile “Jackpot” Gratin
Oil or spray for pan
1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Red pepper flakes to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 poblano or Anaheim chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into strips about ¼ inch by ½ inch
About 1 ½ cups of white sauce made with butter, flour and milk (I used whole wheat flour and skim milk) and with 1/3 to ½ cup of grated white strong cheddar and ¼ grated parmesan cheese stirred in.
¼ to ½ cup bread crumbs (homemade or panko-style)
¼ grated parmesan cheese
Paprika to taste
1 teaspoon butter (optional), cut into little pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or oil gratin pan or other approximately 9”x11” pan and set aside. Steam cauliflower florets until just tender. While cauliflower is cooking, heat oil or butter in a sauté pan and sauté diced onion until wilted, add garlic and sauté until almost brown. Add in red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and sauté another minute or so. Set aside.

When the cauliflower is tender, drain well and combine in the gratin pan with sautéed mixture and roasted chile strips. Stir in cheese and white sauce and mix until well combined. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top, followed by the parmesan cheese and paprika. Dot with butter pieces, if desired. Bake 30-45 minutes until top is browned and the sauce is bubbling. Serves 2-3 as a main course with a grain or 4-5 as a side dish.

Notes: I served it on top of rough and hearty buckwheat grouts (known as kasha),which were a good foil to the dish’s flavors and texture. Please leave me a comment if you need directions on how to make a white sauce or roast peppers and I’ll add directions for those steps. You can substitute canned green chiles for the fresh, but the dish will lose the roasted flavor. Feel free to add more or less cheese or white sauce. I was aiming for a version that cut back a bit on the fat and creaminess of the original while adding more textural and flavor elements.

Update:  Here is a link to Flay's version of this recipe.
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This post is part of Sweetnicks weekly Antioxidant Rich Foods Round up. Click here to view.