Poblanos Stuffed with Polenta and Goat Cheese

First off, be very careful making this recipe.  Not that you would have immediate effects…I’m thinking more of the next morning when you attempt to put contacts in your eyes after cleaning five poblano peppers before roasting them in the oven the night before, even after washing your hands in copious amounts of liquid dish detergent with super hot water several times.  That is NOT enough to remove the offending oils.  I'm just saying that you might want to take precautions so that it doesn’t feel like you are roasting your eyes in the oven, instead of poblano peppers, with searing skewers jabbing at them the whole time, only to realize that you need to take the contaminated contact out of your eye which means more hot-pokers-roasting-skewer sensations.  You don’t want that kind of dilemma on your hands before your first cup of coffee in the morning.  Trust me on this one.

The poblanos were hotter than I expected.  Jason LOVED them, Riley enjoyed them, I couldn’t eat more than one and Ethan ate the stuffing out of one and had to stop.  That is what happens when I get real poblanos, not commercially grown ones.  These bad boys were fabulously zippy, spicy and yummy, in small batches for us heat-whimps.  Next time I make a tray of these I will make half with red bell peppers instead so Ethan and I can enjoy the meal as much as everyone else.

Poblanos Stuffed with Polenta and Goat Cheese

(I think I got this out of Real Simple, but I don’t know…all I know is it isn’t a Kim original.)

Toss in olive oil and roast under a hot broiler cut side down

4 plum tomatoes, halved

1 red onion, wedged

4-5 poblano peppers, halved and seeded

Stir after 5 minutes.  Vegetables are done when tender and slightly charred.

Puree until smooth the tomatoes and onions in a food processor with

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Spread half of this sauce in a 9x13 pan and place the roasted poblano halves on top with the cut side up.

To prepare the stuffing, heat

2 1/4 cup water

1/4 salt

in a heavy bottomed pot.  Once boiling add gradually, while stirring

3/4 cup polenta

Reduce temperature to a simmer and stir frequently as polenta cooks for 10-15 minutes.  When thickened and cooked through, stir in

10 ounces frozen corn, or equivalent

1/4 cup soft goat cheese (about 2 ounces)

3 scallions, sliced

Stuff the peppers with the polenta mixture.  Top with remaining sauce and bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. 

Sprinkle with

1 scallion, sliced

Hearty enough for a meal, pretty enough to serve to guests!  By changing the size of pepper these could be transformed into great appetizers.