Poblano chilies have a wonderful, mild flavor, are dark green and have a heart shape to them measuring approximately 5 – 7 inches in length. When Poblano chilies turn red they are much hotter. On the scoville scale, which is the chart that measures the heat of certain strains of chilies, the Poblano is on the low end (1,000-1,500) just below the jalapeño. Poblano chilies which have been dried are known as Ancho chilies.

In this recipe I found mini Poblano chilies which I thought would be a great appetizer size, but I have given directions for using the larger ones. This is a spicy recipe and not for the faint-hearted. You can omit the jalapeño chili to tame down the heat if you wish. Enjoy these spicy Chorizo Stuffed Poblano Chili Peppers as an appetizer or serve with rice.

Ingredients

4 large Poblano Chilies (or 8 small)
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup cooked chorizo sausage, finely diced
1/4 cup Spanish onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 jalapeño chili pepper, deseeded and diced
1 large egg, beaten
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cups crushed tomatoes, divided
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded


Method


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Wash and split the chilies lengthways and remove the seed pod. Rinse, pat dry and set aside if you are using the mini Poblano. Otherwise, place the larger chilies on a sheet pan and bake for approximately 15 minutes and remove to cool. Baking the chilies will make them more pliable and easier to stuff. The small chilies can just be stuffed as-is and cook perfectly as they are thinner skinned than the larger ones.

2. In a large bowl combine the ground beef, chorizo, onion, jalapeño, egg, cumin and cilantro, 1 cup of crushed tomatoes, kosher salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands if you have to, but do not over work the mixture too much. Set aside on the countertop for 20 minutes.

3. Divide the chorizo mixture evenly, mounding high in the pepper - then, make a depression with your thumb to form a little well (the filling will expand as it cooks.) In a casserole dish large enough to fit the chilies together without them tipping over, place the remaining tomatoes in the bottom of the dish, thinned out a little with water. Place the stuffed peppers on top of the sauce and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the cheese. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melting and starting to turn a golden color.