Stuffed Green Chiles: Trial Version 1.0

I walked 47 miles of barbed wire,
Used a cobra snake for a neck tie.
Got a brand new house on the roadside,
Made out of rattlesnake hide.
I got a brand new chimney made on top,
Made out of human skulls.
Now come on darling let's take a little walk, tell me,
Who do you love,
Who do you love, Who do you love, Who do you love.

"Who Do You Love?" by Bo Diddley

Well, I'm a fast talking, hell raising, son of a bitch
And I'm sinner and I know how to fight

"Hard Luck Story" by Whiskeytown

I sometimes dream about being a high-octane badass like the narrators in the above songs. I dream of being a high plains drifter on horseback who sends all the women, children, and dogs scurrying when I ride into town. I dream of bar fights, campfires, and a vagabond existence. I know this is a juvenile fantasy, and I know that I could never be that guy. For the most part, I'm a gentle, sensitive, kind, and quiet man who likes to stay at home. I can't ride a horse. I rarely cuss, drink whiskey, or go more than one day without showering. I also have no desire to fight anyone. It's just not in my nature.

Despite all of this, I still entertain the dream of being Clint Eastwood's mysterious man with no name. Maybe I could live out this fantasy in the kitchen when I cook. Sure, I know that guys like this survive on hunks of meat, beans, and whiskey, but maybe I could bring a little bit of their swagger to my cooking. Instead of a six shooter on my hip, I'll be armed with a cast iron skillet. I figure the perfect ingredient to convey this outlaw persona will be the chile pepper.

During the next couple of weeks, I'll spotlight some of the chile pepper recipes I've attempted. Today's recipe is one that I created. It still needs to be polished, but I think it has potential.

(My chile looks unkempt. I need to be more artful when stuffing it. What's that mucus looking substance underneath it? I still need to perfect it.)

Ingredients:

• 2 roasted Poblano peppers***
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped tomato
• a bit of cheese to sprinkle on top of the stuffed pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• dash of pepper
  

***How to Roast Chile Peppers
The Pioneer Woman Cooks also has a tutorial on roasting peppers

Instructions:

1. Mix corn, beans, onion, and tomato together and season with salt and pepper.
2. Now you'll make a pouch in the chile peppers for the stuffing. Gently cut a slit into the peppers and remove the seeds. Placing the pepper under a gentle stream of water helps rinse out all of the seeds.
3. Stuff each pepper with 1 cup of stuffing.
4. Sprinkle cheese over each pepper.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

This recipe isn't exactly Clint Eastwood material. I'm thinking it's more Cisco Kid or his sidekick Pancho.

Let's look at what works: This recipe is simple and can be prepared in advance. I can also see them cooked on the grill. I love the flavor of roasted green chiles and the tinge of heat they bring. If done stuffed properly these will look impressive on a plate and a great way to incorporate some healthy vegetables into Mexican food.

Now let's examine possible revisions: I could tinker with the stuffing and try different ingredients or spices. Maybe bacon or chorizo could work in the stuffing, which could be elevated from a side dish to main dish. I could also bypass the cheese and maybe use a chipotle cream sauce. Finally, the green chile might be "slimy" to some. I wonder if there's anything I could do to avoid this.

Stay tuned for future versions of this recipe.

Don't take your guns to town,
muddywaters