Stuffed Poblano Peppers

This recipe is an adaptation from my newest favorite cookbook, The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen. The original recipe uses pinto beans, but I swapped those out for black beans. I also added some brown Jasmine rice to the stuffing to make the peppers a heartier meal. The ratios in this recipe were supposed to stuff 8 poblano peppers, but I only had enough stuffing to stuff 6 peppers.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Cooked Brown Jasmine Rice (any rice will do)
2 (15 oz) Cans Black Beans
1 Cup Water
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, finely chopped
6 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 TBSP Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Grated Lime Zest
2 TBSP Fresh Lime Juice
2 Cups Frozen Corn
8 oz Mexican Blend Cheese
1/2 Cup Cilantro, chopped
6 Poblano Chiles
Salt & Pepper
Cayenne Pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Drain your black beans and put them in a bowl. Add a cup of water to the bowl and roughly mash the beans using a potato mashed.

2. Heat your oil in a large skillet. Add the onion to the skillet and cooked at high until lightly browned. Then add the garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and lime zest. Cook until the herbs are well combined with the onion and garlic. Add the beans, corn, and desired amount of cayenne pepper. Cook the mixture at medium-high heat, stirring often, until most of the water has evaporated. Salt the stuffing to taste.

3. Remove the stuffing from the heat. Transfer the stuffing to a large bowl once it has cooled off a bit. Add the cooked rice, lime juice, cilantro, and cheese to the stuffing. Mix until well combined.

4. To prepare the poblano peppers for stuffing first cut them lengthwise from stem to point as pictured below. Put the poblanos in a bowl and microwave them until pliable. About 4 minutes.