WGN’s Dean Richards is celebrating Cinco de Mayo a little earlier with this recipe.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup white rice
- 4 poblano peppers
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 8 ounces lean ground beef (or substitute shredded chicken, diced shrimp or roasted veggies)
- 3 Tablespoons dried currants
- 3 Tablespoons roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Lime Crema
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema (or sour cream)
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped (divided))
Dean shares recipes for puff pastries
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
In a small pot, combine the rice, 1 cup of water, and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
Place poblano peppers on a sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the skin is browned and blistered. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, leaving the oven on. When cool enough to handle, make a lengthwise slit in each pepper and remove and discard the ribs and seeds.
While the peppers cool, in a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high until hot. Add garlic and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, 2-3 minutes, until softened.
Stir in the tomato paste and cumin. Cook, 2-3 minutes.
Add ground beef (or protein or choice.) Cook, breaking the meat apart with a spoon, until cooked through.
Stir in the currants, pepitas, and cooked rice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Stuff each pepper with the filling. Bake 4 to 6 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the oven.
While the peppers bake, in a small bowl, combine Mexican crema, lime juice, half the cilantro and 1 tablespoon of water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle the peppers with lime crema and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.
