Mexican Mini Peppers Stuffed with Shrimp and Queso Fresco
BellaFina™ peppers may be used to create a wide variety of recipes, from appetizers to main dishes. BellaFina peppers are often used in salads, vegetables trays with or without dip, cooked in stews and sauces and stuffed with meat, cheese and grains.
Grown on the vine in the field, BellaFina peppers are a great source of vitamins and nutrients. They are low calorie, fat free, sodium free and high in Vitamin C.
Ingredients:
* 8-9 small peppers about 3 inches long, like a jalapeno or a sweet mini pepper
* 1 Tablespoon butter
* 2 cloves minced garlic
* 1 green onion, chopped
* 3/4 cup chopped raw shrimp
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
* chopped cilantro and fresh salsa to serve
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dry fry the chilies in a frying pan over medium-high heat until the skins begin to scorch. Remove from heat and let sit until they’ve cooled enough to handle. Make a slit lengthwise in the pepper and remove the seeds, keeping the stems intact- I found a really small pair of tongs worked really well for this.
In a small frying pan, heat the butter over medium heat and add the garlic and green onion and cook until fragrant. Add the chopped shrimp and salt and cook until the shrimp turns pink. Remove from heat and pour the seasoned shrimp and any accumulated juices in a medium bowl. Add the queso fresco and stir to mix. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed.
Use a small spoon to fill each pepper with the shrimp mixture. Place the peppers on a small baking sheet or on an ovenproof plate and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the filling is hot. Top with your favorite fresh salsa and chopped cilantro.
Note: if you’d like to make these ahead of time, cover and refrigerate the peppers immediately after stuffing for up to 24 hours. Just take them out and bake in the preheated oven until hot.