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.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8

　　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

　　

Step 1

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the carrot slices and cook until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, and set them aside to cool.

　　

Step 2

Combine the tuna, mayonnaise, peas, and corn in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

　　

Step 3

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions are slightly cooked but still crisp. Add 2/3 cup water and the vinegar, and bring to a simmer. Add the carrots, bay leaves, and oregano. Simmer for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender and almost all of the vinegar has evaporated.

　　

Step 4

Stuff the chiles with the tuna mixture, and fit them snugly into a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Pour the warm pickled mixture over the stuffed chiles, and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and chill for 2 hours or overnight. Serve cold.

　　Fresh Mexico