While touring through Mexico, chef Chuck Hughes was inspired by the great authentic foods and the wonderful people he met there. Now he’s brought us a Mexican-inspired recipe to try at home — these stuffed poblano peppers will blow your tastebuds away.

Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 can whole tomatoes in puree
• 1 jalapeno chile (seeds removed), minced
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic (2 whole, 1 minced)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 425F.

In a blender, combine tomatoes, jalapeno, half the onions, and 2 whole garlic cloves, then puree. Season with salt. Pour sauce into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish; set aside.

Next, it’s time to prepare the peppers.

Poblano peppers

• 4 large poblano chiles, halved lengthwise (stems left intact, seeds removed)
• 3 to 4 tbsps olive oil

Method:

Carefully cut stems out of peppers and remove seeds.

Set peppers on cookie sheet and put under broiler to roast them, turning about every 6 minutes to roast evenly. Roasting will take about 18 minutes.

Now it’s time to get down to the stuffing!

Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• Corn on the cob (10 ounces), charred and off the cob
• 1 roasted red pepper, diced
• 4 charred tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ onion, diced, sauteed
• 2 cloves garlic, sauteed
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• pinch oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 lime juiced

Method:

In a medium bowl, combine beans, corn, cornmeal, onions, red pepper, ½ cup cheese, minced garlic, cumin, and tomatoes, and ¾ cup water. Then season with salt and pepper.

Dividing evenly, stuff poblano halves with bean mixture. Place peppers on top of sauce in baking dish. Sprinkle poblanos with remaining ½ cup cheese; cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake until poblanos are tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover, and continue to cook until sauce is thickened slightly and cheese is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes.

Serves 4

Courtesy Chuck Hughes

www.chuckhughes.com

@chefchuckhughes