Grilled Stuffed Poblanos

My dad comes from New Mexico. He grew up in a little town called Los Alamos (where they built the atom bomb). But then he left for college, got married, had five children, and eventually ended up out East. Sometimes us kids forget he didn't grow up where we did (first San Diego, then Northern Virginia). We forget that he's from the Southwest- until he pulls out his tumbled rock collection and homemade jewelry or starts a braiding leather bookmarks. Our first reaction is, "Dad, you're weird!". And then we remember he was raised in the Land of Enchantment, alongside the pueblos and Native Americans. And we understand his quirky hobbies a little better.

I was once again reminded of his roots when I brought these stuffed peppers to the dinner table on Sunday. He immediately lit up and exclaimed, "You made chile rellenos!". I just thought they were poblanos stuffed with beans and rice and cheese. Nothing special. But he was adamant that I had made one of his favorite New Mexican dishes. Google later confirmed that, indeed, he was right. A chile relleno is a stuffed poblano. What it gets stuffed with can vary widely, but usually includes cheese.

Whatever you call them, they're yummy. All of my family loved the filling, but a few of them couldn't handle the heat of the peppers. Poblanos can be mild or hot. You're never quite sure what you're gonna get. I ate mine whole without any problem. But some family members were not so lucky. This filling could be stuffed into any chile- anaheim, hatch, or even everyday bell peppers would do. They could also be prepared in the oven instead of on the grill. If you choose to bake them, I recommend following this method. 

Grilled Stuffed Poblanos

INGREDIENTS
6-8 poblano peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (optional)
3 green onions, sliced
1 jalapeno, minced (optional)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
dash cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped + extra for garnish
Cheddar or any Mexican blend of cheese, shredded for topping

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook rice according to package directions.

2. In a large bowl, toss to combine cooked rice, beans, tomatoes, corn (optional), onion, jalapeno (optional), cumin, chili powder, cayenne and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stuff peppers with the filling.

3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill peppers until tender and charred on the bottom. Top with cheese several minutes before they are done grilling to allow the cheese to melt. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.

Makes 12-16 stuffed peppers.

(Adapted from A Couple Cooks)