BAKED POBLANO PEPPERS STUFFED WITH RAISINS & PINE NUTS

For this recipe, you want fairly large Poblano Peppers; nice, shiny, firm, dark green peppers with no blemishes or soft spots. If you are not familiar with Poblanos, they look like giant Jalapeno Peppers, but they are a thick-walled mildly hot pepper and have a slight smoky flavor..

Step 1: INGREDIENTS (4 Servings)

Cooking Spray
3 TBS Extra Light Olive Oil
4 Fresh Dark Green Poblano Peppers
2 Cups Cooked Rice (I am using Lundberg's Wild Rice Blend with Long-grain Brown Rice)
4 Anchovy Fillets, (Optional)
2 teaspoons bottled Capers
2 TBS Sliced Black Olives
4 TBS Sun Maid Golden Raisins
2 TBS Pine Nuts
1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 TBS Fresh Finely chopped or sliced Basil Leaves
A Pinch of Freshly Ground Nutmeg
Sea Salt & Fresh Coarse Ground Black Pepper (about 1/2 tsp) to taste
1 can (14.5 fluid oz.) Petite Diced No Salt Added Tomatoes
4 Slices Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

NOTE: You may recognize that teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes pictured above (on the left side of the Basil Leaves). Fortunately, I tasted a bit of raw Poblano Pepper before adding the red pepper flakes to the stuffing mix. The Poblanos were not as mild as I expected them to be, and I elected not to use the red pepper flakes.

Step 2: PREPARATION, STEP 1

Cook the rice according to Package Instructions, and allow to cool enough to be handled. This will take about an hour (45 minutes to cook; 15 minutes or more to cool)
While the rice is cooking, soak the dried raisins in warm water to soften

Step 3: PREPARATION, STEP 2

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Spray a 13" x 9"glass or ceramic baking with cooking spray..

Remove the seeds from the Poblano Peppers and make the stuffing mixture
Rinse, Dry, and Carefully cut a circle around the top of each pepper and remove the "cap" using a sharp paring knife. Discard the seeds, but save the "caps."

Make the stuffing

Rinse the Anchovy fillets to remove salt.:
Thoroughly mix the Rice, Anchovies, Capers, Black Olives, Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Herbs with 2 TBS Olive Oil, Black Pepper, and Nutmeg. Add Sea Salt to taste.
Stuff the Poblano Peppers with the stuffing mixture, packing it in with the back of a Tablespoon, and cover each pepper with it's cap. Secure the caps by inserting toothpicks diagonally through the caps and through the sides of the peppers as pictured.
Place the Stuffed Peppers in the baking dish and drizzle them with the remaining TBS of Olive Oil.
Place 1 Slice of Mozzarella on top of each Pepper (I found it advantageous to cut the cheese slices in half and pin them to the peppers with toothpicks to keep them from sliding off into the bottom of the dish).
Pour the Diced Tomatoes over the Cheese-topped Peppers and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the peppers are tender (until they can be easily pierced with a kitchen fork; I like to leave mine a little "crunchy)." (If it appears that the tomato "liquid" is evaporating before the dish is done, you can add a little water or tomato sauce to the baking dish).

Allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes before attempting to serve.

Step 4: TIME TO EAT . . .

Arrange Peppers on a serving dish; pour tomato sauce over them, and top with fresh Basil leaves. You can serve them with a nice salad or side dish, but the Stuffed Poblano Peppers and a cool beverage where all that I wanted tonight!

Bon appétit