Hot, hot, hot... Not Always

Originating in the Mexican city of Puebla, the poblano chile is a mild chile sometimes incorrectly called a Pasilla here in the U.S. One of my most favorite dishes, the traditional Chile Relleno, uses the poblano and for this very reason, we have started growing poblanos here in the End of the Rainbow Valley. This summer we have a beautiful bumper crop...

Hence I roasted and froze some poblanos to use later for Chile Relleno (to be filled with cheese, batter dipped fried and baked) and with the remainder of the first harvest cooked a tasty new easy to make southwestern recipe called  "Quinoa Stuffed Poblano." If you like southwestern and some heat, you'll enjoy this recipe. The poblano tends to gain heat (spiciness) when reheated.


Ingredients:

butter for baking dish
4 bell peppers, seeded 
2 c vegetable broth
1 c quinoa
3 T olive oil
1 sm yellow onion, diced
1/8 t salt
1 c sweet corn
1 c canned black beans
1 c grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 t chili powder, or to taste
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/2 T dried parsley (I used fresh cilantro)
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 c 4-Cheese Mexican Blend, divided (I added *Rotel)
plain yogurt / light sour cream, for garnish, optional

Instructions:   Preheat oven to 350.
Grease baking dish.
Place bell peppers in casserole dish and set aside. 

quinoa cooks in broth until liquid absorbed 

Remove from heat, gently fluff with fork, set aside.
Heat oil over med heat.
Add onions. Season with salt; 
 cook 1 min/until translucent.

Stir in sweet corn and beans; 
 cook 2 min until fragrant.

I doubled the recipe...

Stir in grape tomatoes and cooked quinoa; season with chili powder, cayenne pepper, dried parsley, salt and pepper.

Add 1 c cheese; mix well, cook 3-4 min until everything's heated through and cheese's melted.

Remove from heat.

 stuffed poblano pepper uncooked

Divide mixture evenly between peppers, packing quinoa mixture tightly into pepper. 

Bake 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and top each pepper with remaining cheese.

Put back in oven and continue to bake 5 min./until cheese's melted.

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt or light sour cream.

RECIPE SOURCE: DIETHOOD

* Rotel, a canned staple in my household
  (chopped tomatoes with jalapeños)