Stuffed Roasted Poblanos

Shrimp Stuffed Roasted Poblanos adapted from Epicurious.

Ingredients:

8 large Poblano chilies

8 oz. shrimp, peeled, deveined, cooked and chopped

4 oz Goat Cheese

1/2 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/4 Cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped

3 tbsp. Shallot, chopped

3 tbsp. Cilantro, chopped

3 tbsp. Basil, chopped

1 tsp. Cayenne

1 tsp. Paprika

Salt and Pepper to taste

(makes 8 servings- I had 4 smaller Poblanos, so I halved the quantities)

I am a big fan of anything spicy!  I love Mexican food especially, and am always interested in trying something new with peppers and chilies.  Not knowing what I was even going to do with them, I had asked my wife to pick up some Poblanos from the market.  I thought maybe I'd toss them in a quesadilla, or make a sauce of some type, which is when I had the idea to stuff them and I found a good guideline.

First, you want to char your Poblanos over your gas flame stove until blackened on all sides.  Once complete, place in a large bowl and cover with cling wrap or container cover for 10 minutes.  Charring the Poblanos does take some time, so be patient and make sure you get all sides!

While your Poblanos are covered, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.  Now you are ready to construct your filling.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, mixing well.  Some may recommend refrigerating this mixture for a day in advance, but I would leave it up to you, not vital to do so.

Next, you are going to peel the chilies, and using a knife, slit the chilies open along one side.  Remove the seeds and leave the stems attached.  This is probably the trickiest part, so remember to be very delicate during this step.  You want to remove the seeds or else to Poblanos could end up being super hot and inedible.  But, you do not want to open the Poblanos up so much that they are unable to hold the filling.  I made my slit closer to the stem and use the tip of my finger and a knife to get the seeds out gently.

Fill the Poblanos with your mixture and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted through.  If the Poblanos are having trouble holding together, you can use toothpicks for assistance.  Once finished, let cool for 2 minutes, remove toothpicks and serve.  These definitely have some heat to them, but it is cooled by the shrimp and cheese mixture and completely full of flavor!  This can be served as a starter, or along with some sides as a full meal.

Enjoy!- John