Roberto Santibanez shares a very unusual and tasty potato salad recipe. Ancho chilies, which are dried fresh poblano peppers, are soaked in vinegar, sugar, and Mexican cinnamon and stuffed with freshly grilled tuna and potato salad. The combination of the spicy-sweet chile with a creamy potato salad is sure to have people talking at your next outdoor party.

When buying dried chilies, look for a deep color and a skin with no signs of crumbling or cracking; also, they should still be pliable. Store them in a cool, dry place and not in the refrigerator, as humidity can cause them to mold.

For the chilies:

4 large ancho chilies, about 5 inches long
½ pound piloncillo, broken into pieces, or 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar plus 3 tablespoons molasses
1 cup cider vinegar
3-inch piece Mexican cinnamon
½ teaspoons salt
2 cups water

For the filling:

1 pound thick-cut tuna steak
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound Yukon Gold or red new potatoes, scrubbed
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 roasted jalapeno, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped garlic

For the Salad:

2 cups of mesclun or spring greens, washed and dried well
Pomegranate and Red Onion Dressing, recipe follows
1 small Haas avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced

1. Wipe chilies clean with damp cloth. Cut 1 slit lengthwise from stem to tip in each. Combine piloncillo, vinegar, cinnamon, salt, and water in large saucepan and bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add chilies; weight them down with a plate and soak until pliable, about 1 hour. Drain. Remove as many seeds as possible without tearing chilies; reserve.

2. Preheat grill to high heat. Rub tuna steak with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until just seared on the outside but still medium-rare in center, about 1-2 minutes per side. Cool and cut into bite-sized pieces. Reserve.

3. Put potatoes for filling in large saucepan and cover with water by 4 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender, about 25-30 minutes. Drain and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut into 1-inch pieces and reserve.

4. In large bowl, stir together onion, scallions, parsley, jalapeno, 2 tablespoons olive oil, cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, and garlic. Season with salt to taste. Add potatoes and toss until coated. Add tuna and very gently toss, being careful not to break up tuna chunks.

5. Gently open drained chilies and spoon potato-tuna mixture into each to fill. Reshape chilies to close. Toss greens with dressing until coated and divide among four plates. Set stuffed chile on each plate and garnish with avocado slices. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

POMEGRANATE AND RED ONION DRESSING

1 small red onion, cut into ½-inch slices
4 large peeled garlic cloves
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup pomegranate juice
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Serrano chile, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon anise seeds, crushed to a powder or very finely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Coarse salt

1. Heat large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion slices and garlic cloves and cook, turning once, until charred and blackened, about 12 minutes (garlic may be charred before onions are done).

2. Finely chop onions and garlic, transfer to bowl, and add the cilantro, pomegranate and lime juices, chile, anise seeds, sugar, and pepper. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Slowly whisk in olive oil and season with salt to taste. Store in airtight container for up to 2 days.

Makes 1 cup.

Adapted from Rosa's New Mexican Table, by Roberto Santibanez

Special Thanks:
Roberto Santibanez
http://www.robertosantibanez.com