Serves 4

For the Crepes

1 1/4cups all purpose flour
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup beer or water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (optional)
½ teaspoon sea salt
Melted unsalted butter or safflower or canola oil for cooking

For the Filling

3 fresh pobalno chiles, roasted and seeded
2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup grated Chihuahua cheese or a mild white cheddar pr Monterey jack

For the Sauce

2 ½ cups milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons flour
Dash of nutmeg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup grated Chihuahua cheese or a mild white cheese cheddar or Monterey jack or Parmesan (see note)

Place the flour, eggs, milk, beer or water, melted butter, cilantro, and salt in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Or place in a bowl and use an electric hand mixer. Add additional liquid if needed; the batter must be very think. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour so the batter becomes supple; the crepes will be light in texture when cooked.
Over medium-high heat, warm an 8 or 9 inch omelet or crepe pan that has sloping sides, preferably nonstick. When moderately hot, brush with a little melted butter or oil. It should just sizzle, not burn. (if it is smoking wipe the pan and start again.)
Uncover the batter, beat again, and if it is too thick, add a little more liquid. With a ladle or large spoon that holds about 3 tablespoons of batter, scoop up he batter and quickly pour into the middle of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly tilt it so that the batter swirls around the sides to form a round, thin crepe. Return the pan to the heat and cook about 1 minute, until the bottom of the crepe is slightly brown. Little bubbles will come to the surface, and the crepe can slide around in the pan when sharply jerked. To turn the crepe over, first loosen the edges by shaking the pan and then jerk the pan so the crepe flips over. This takes practice, so you may have to help it along with a spatula.
Lightly brown the second side for less than 1 minute, and then invert the pan over a large plate. This will be the inside part of the crepe. Continue the routine, stacking the crepes, until all the butter is used up. They are now ready for filling, or they can be made in advance and stacked with wax paper or foil between them. Or they can be frozen. To thaw, heat them, covered in a 300-degree F. over.

Don’t discard any leftover or imperfect crepes. They can be reheated and spread with butter or wrapped around a small hunk of cheese and eaten as a snack.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the chiles into narrow strips. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook until it is soft and transparent. Stir in the chiles ad season with salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat and cook together for several minutes. Set the skillet aside and stir I the cheese.

To prepare the sauce, scald the milk in a medium-size saucepan, Set aside.

Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk gradually, continuing to stir, and cook until the mixture begins to simmer. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste, and cook briefly over low heat. Remove the sauce from the heat ad whisk until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add 1/3 cup of hot milk and mix well.

Cover the bottom of a 15-by 10-inch baking dish with some of the sauce. Lay out the crepes with their palest side up and fill each one by putting about 2 tablespoons of the poblano chile strips just below the center of each crepe. Roll the crepe up tightly like a sausage and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Cover he filled crepes with sauce. Sparkle with cheese and bake for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: The large yellow wheels of cheese made by the Mennonite communities in Chihuahua are becoming quite scarce even in Mexico, but there are several imitations. Avoid those made in the United States and instead substitute another good melting cheese. I recommend mild white cheddar or Monterey jack. If you prefer not to have melted cheese as a topping, use coarsely grated Parmesan.