Poblano Pepper Casserole
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:
4-5 medium sized Poblano chiles
2 red peppers (you can substitute jarred, roasted red peppers, but make sure they are rinsed, drained and patted dry)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can plain diced tomatoes, partially drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6oz. (50%-75%) light cheddar cheese (like Cabot) shredded
16 oz. can black beans
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. unseasoned breadcrumbs
spray cooking oil
Instructions:
Cut the red (unless using jarred) and poblano peppers into halves or quarters and seed them. Flatten the peppers and place them skin side up on an ungreased cookie sheet. Put them under the broiler for approximately 10 minutes. Turn them over and roast for another 10 minutes, or until the skins are blackened. Remove the peppers from the oven and seal them in a plastic bag for 10 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag and peel off the skins, reserving the peppers.
Cut the red peppers into rough 1″ strips. Puree 2/3 of the black beans and reserve the other 1/3 of the can.
Spray a non-stick pan with some of the cooking spray and saute the garlic and onion over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add the corn, tomatoes and chiles with a little of the adobo sauce. Make sure the vent is on! Reduce the heat to medium and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the chopped cilantro and scrape the pan contents into a large bowl.
In the bowl containing the chile mixture, add the pureed beans, the remaining whole beans, 1/4 cup of bread crumbs and half of the cheese. Mix the ingredients until combined.
Pour the mixture into a 13″x 9″ pan and spread it evenly across the bottom. Arrange the poblano and red peppers on top. Spread the remainder of the cheese and bread crumbs on top and bake in a 375F oven for 35 minutes, or until the top is brown and bubbly.
Serve with the remaining cilantro and low/non-fat sour cream. This makes a nice side dish with grilled steak tips.
Recipe submitted by Deb Endyke.