Cheese and Shrimp-Stuffed Roasted Poblanos with Red Bell Pepper Sauce
This chile pepper is often mislabeled ‘Pasilla’, which is a different pepper entirely.It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico and has won the appreciation of many a chef worldwide because of the superior flavor it has over regular bell peppers.
They have a tough outer skin that usually requires roasting and peeling before use. These very large chile peppers are most popular in chiles rellenos recipes, but cooking with these as a substitute for bell peppers in any recipe will enhance the flavor.
Ingredients:
Red bell pepper sauce:
2 large red bell peppers
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 serrano chili or jalapeño chili, seeded, minced
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
Stuffed roasted poblanos:
8 large poblano chiles
8 oz. peeled deveined cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup soft fresh goat cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) grated Panela cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped shallots
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
Garnish:
fresh basil leaves (optional)
Instructions:
To prepare the red bell pepper sauce:
Char the bell peppers over a gas flame or under a broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose the chiles in a paper bag for 10 minutes, then peel, seed, and coarsely chop.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the shallots, garlic, and chile. Sauté until the shallots are tender, about 5 minutes, then cool slightly and transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the bell peppers and chicken broth, then puree until the mixture is smooth. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)
To prepare the roasted poblanos:
Char the poblano chiles over a gas flame or under a broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose the chiles in a paper bag for 10 minutes, then peel the chiles. Using a small sharp knife, carefully slit the chiles open along 1 side and remove the seeds, leaving the stems attached.
Mix the shrimp and the next 6 ingredients in a medium bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fill the chiles with the shrimp mixture, dividing equally. Pull up the sides of the chiles to enclose the filling. Place the stuffed chiles on abaking sheet. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Preheat the oven to 350F and bake the chiles uncovered until they are heated through and the cheeses melt, about 15 minutes. Spoon 3 Tbsp. of the Red Bell Pepper Sauce onto each of the 8 plates. Place 1 stuffed chile atop the sauce on each and garnish with some basil leaves, if desired, and serve.
Recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine, December 2002.