Stuffed Poblano Peppers

On a beautiful day last week I announced to my wife that my goal for that afternoon was to be sitting  on a patio at a local establishment, having a cocktail and an appetizer while soaking up the sun and enjoying the breeze. Needless to say, I achieved my goal! We had Margaritas with a Sangria swirl, Avocado Fries and Chicken and Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos. It was a great afternoon with good food and drink, but it left me yearning for more Mexican inspired food.

After careful consideration I made my shopping list and returned home with all the necessary items to make for a dish, robust with many flavors.. The plan was for "Stuffed Pobalno Peppers". I will base them on a Guy Fieri recipe that I had seen a while back. Many of the items for this dish will be picked up in the produce section  I picked out large poblanos that would be easy to stuff,  a serrano pepper for heat, a jalapeno pepper for flavor, flavor and color from red peppers, green bell pepper, red/purple onion and minced garlic.. I selected a medium length grain, white rice, 3/4 lb of 21 ct white shrimp and 12 ozs of chorizo. The chorizo is a fine grind Mexican sausage that is seasoned with native spices. I will season the dish with additional cumin and chipotle chili powder and top the peppers with cheddar jack cheese.

While the grill is heating up I will get to chopping. This dish can be made with the poblano skin on  or removed. I will put the peppers on the grill over a hot fire to char them a bit. When I place the peppers in a covered bowl for 5 minutes or so the skin will blister up and allow the peppers to easily be peeled. This will make for a tender pepper that the fork will pass through very easy.

I started the chorizo browning and added all of the veggies and spices. I love the aroma of onions, peppers and garlic. When you add sausage to the mix  there is no doubt that something very good is going on in the kitchen. While the veggies were still good and firm I added my cup of rice and tossed it until it was covered with the the residual oil in the dish, allowing it to toast for just a moment. I then added 1 cup of chicken broth, 1/2 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of water. I simmer this until the rice is 80% done.

I've had peaches and cream corn on the cob soaking in water in preparation for going on the grill. It is my favorite way to do corn on the cob and is simple as can be. I submerge it in water for 1 to 2 hours in husk, put it in a hot grill with the lid closed for as little as 10 minutes. I usually avoid setting it directly over the coals so I don't have to watch it. I turn it once or twice during the cooking process. When I remove the corn I wrap it in several sheets of newspaper and set the corn in a small empty cooler to stay warm. It finishes cooking while it is resting and makes for a firm kernel that is full of moisture and has an enhanced sweetness.

The peppers are off of the grill and resting. The top of the bowl will be covered with plastic wrap to rest until I remove the skin. I have shelled the shrimp  and will  cut them into bite size chunks. I will place the shrimp in the rest of the stuffing mixture but I will not cook it, as the shrimp will cook when the stuffed peppers are finishing in the grill.

It is time to stuff the peppers. I've removed the skins from the peppers and made a slit the length of the pepper to open them up, to stuff. I placed them on a foil covered cooking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray.

I've pulled the corn on the cob and wrapped it for resting. I've prepared the grill with both heat deflectors in and steadied the temperature @ 325 degrees. The peppers will go on for 20-25 minutes to cook the shrimp and allow all of the flavors of the dish to come together. Now is my favorite time in this kind of a cook. I've been busy, busy since I headed to the grocery store. Now I can sit down and enjoy this beautiful day with a cold beer and smell the peppers finishing in the grill.

After 20 minutes I topped the peppers with cheddar jack and will give them another 10 minutes for the cheese to melt thoroughly.

Well it is dinner time and the Mexican inspired meal that I was thinking of when I left the patio early in the week has come to fruition. I have prepared black beans and shucked the corn. Dinner is served. Stuffed Poblano Peppers, Corn on the Cob, and Black Beans served with Sour Cream, Salsa Verde, Picco De Gallo and Jalapenos. The meal is paired with a Modelo Especial in a frosty mug.

Peggy and I eat out for special occasions, when we go out with friends and when we are craving convenience. We are of the belief that in most cases we can prepare a better meal with fresher ingredients than we can get eating out. When you combine that, with my love of cooking and being able to do a lot of the meal preparation outside on a spectacular day, this was a great meal that was unique and not available on a local menu. My love for stuffed peppers has evolved over the years beginning with stuffed bell peppers as a child, inspired years ago by the guy at Arrowhead Stadium sharing a variety of spicy stuffed banana, poblano and jalapeno peppers at a Chiefs game, our friends mom and her chili rellenos, to great poppers on various appetizer menus. This was an excellent recipe that I will take some new liberties with next time, maybe leaving the skins on and trying a coarser grind sausage.

Summer is just around the corner so everyone plan those afternoons on the deck enjoying your family, your yard, your home and preparing a nice fresh meal on the grill.

For full size photos double click on the images.