Green Chile Fettuccine with Black Beans & Corn

This is one of those pantry meals that is fast and easy to put together on a day when you're not in the mood to do much to get dinner on the table.  Depending on what constitutes your usual pantry stock, you may need to do a little planning to make sure you have some Mexican crema and cotija cheese on hand. Get some and give this vegetarian dish a try, and I'll bet you'll start making sure to keep them nearby.

Cotija cheese is a softish white cheese usually sold in rounds or wedges that crumbles much like feta. Mexican crema is a tart sour cream-like sauce sold in jars.  If you can't find it, try combining good full fat sour cream with equal parts heavy cream and a bit of salt.

Green Chile Fettuccine with Black Beans & Corn
serves 4

1 box fettuccine pasta
2 T. olive oil
2 onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable broth, or light beer
4 cans diced green chiles*
1 cup Mexican crema
1/2 cup milk
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 can black beans

* or Hatch chiles, or a blend of mild green chiles and jalapenos, or 3-4 fresh poblanos, roasted and peeled.  You get the idea.

Prepare fettuccine according to package instructions. Set aside once done.

Add olive oil to a deep sided hot skillet set to medium high.  Add onion, and cook stirring constantly for a couple minutes, then lower heat and let caramelize for 15-20 minutes.

While onions caramelize, combine chiles, milk and Crema in the blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Raise heat in skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add broth or beer, and cook until liquid is decreased by about half, about 5 minutes.

Add beans and corn to skillet.

Add chile cream sauce to skillet, and stir to combine.  Lower heat - the sauce should simmer, but not boil, for about 5 minutes or until thickened slightly.

Add fettuccine to skillet stirring to coat evenly with sauce.

To serve, plate the fettuccine, and sprinkle generously with crumbled cotija cheese.