Baked stuffed poblanos

This is a recipe I make every once in a while. It is one of those dishes that I doubt I ever make the same way twice. It is kind of like chile relleno, but without the breading and frying. The peppers are baked, but the taste will remind you of the classic version. 

This takes a little time, but it is very easy to fix. Just take your time and don’t be in a hurry. Sometimes I make my own salsa verde. I'll will admit that most often I use store bought salsa, even though it can be a little high in sodium. Oh well, that's what the blood pressure meds are for. If you give this a try, let me know how you liked it. 

5 poblano peppers

1/2 lb. coarsely chopped beef

Corn oil

1 onion, chopped

1 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

Adobo seasoning

Cumin

Cajun seasoning

15 oz. can of pinto beans

1-1/2 cup of salsa verde (I like Herdez)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation

Wash and dry the poblanos and place them on a baking sheet. Broil them under a hot broiler until the skins darken and blister. Rotate them so that all sides are charred and blistered - this will take up to fifteen minutes, depending on the distance from the flame. Remove the peppers to a large bowl and cover the bowl with a plate. Let the peppers cool for about a half hour. 

While the peppers are steaming themselves in the bowl, heat a large cast iron skillet and add enough corn oil to coat the bottom. Add the beef to the pan and stir. While that is browning, add the onion, garlic and shallot to the mix. Sprinkle on a generous sprinkle of both adobo seasoning and cumin. Now give a light sprinkle of cajun seasoning as well. Stir until the beef is sizzling and the onions have softened. Add the can of pinto beans and stir. Let them cook until most of the liquid has steamed off. Turn off the heat and let that cool. 

Now comes the fun part. Take each pepper and gently pull the skin off. It will come off easy, kind of like cellophane. Once the skin is off, take a knife and make a slit in the pepper. Gently use a spoon and remove most of the seeds. Fill the pepper with the meat and onion mixture and place it seam side down in a baking pan. (Note, the peppers are very soft and tender. They may split in other places as you try to get the seeds or stuff them. Don’t freak out. They’re gonna be covered in cheese, so who cares if they have an extra rip or two? Relax, don’t worry, and have one of my home brews.) 

Repeat with each of the peppers. Take the leftover meat and onion mixture and spoon it around the peppers. Pour the Salsa Verde over the peppers. Add the shredded cheddar cheese mix over the peppers and then add the mozzarella. Bake the peppers at 390º for about a half hour or so, until the cheese is browned and the sauce is bubbling. 

Serving

Stuffed poblanos go good with almost anything. I served mine with beef burritos, chips and salsa, and chilled white wine (although beer or margaritas would be good too). You could even serve these along side a nice charred steak.