Quinoa-Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Chipotle 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:
4 large poblano peppers
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
1/3 cup vegetable stock (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 garlic clove
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
1 small yellow onion
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed (or fresh cooked corn from the cob)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 roma tomatoes, diced
4 ounces goat cheese
Instructions:
Serves 4
Preheat oven to 475°F. Rub poblano peppers with two teaspoons of vegetable oil and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven until soft and slightly blackened in spots, about 15-20 minutes, flipping once. Let cool.
Meanwhile, bring 1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan (I like to use part vegetable stock for quinoa to infuse extra flavour, but it’s not necessary if you don’t have any open vegetable stock, you can use 2/3 cup water instead). Add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low to simmer. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then remove lid and fluff with a fork.
While peppers and quinoa are cooking, prepare the chipotle sauce in a blender. Combine chipotle chile, garlic, 3/4 cup water, and a dash each of salt and pepper in the blender and blend until smooth. Add 1/2 cup cilantro and pulse a few times to combine. Set aside.
In a large saucepan or deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add corn, black beans, tomato, and cooked quinoa and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add 2 ounces goat cheese and stir until it’s melted and completely mixed in. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Make a small slit down the length of one side of each pepper, being careful not to cut through to the other side. Carefully remove seeds, leaving stem end intact. Spoon quinoa mixture into each pepper to fill them.
Pour chipotle sauce into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Transfer stuffed peppers to the dish, and dot with remaining 2 ounces goat cheese. Bake until cheese is golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes and serve warm, sprinkled with additional chopped cilantro if desired.
From onceuponacuttingboard.com