Grilled Chile Relleno

Equipment

• 1 cup mesquite or other wood chips, soaked in water for 1 hour, then drained (optional)

Yield: 6 side dish servings.

Ingredients

• 6 large poblano chiles*
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped (leave seeds in for spicier filling)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (28 ounce) or 2 (16 ounce) cans vegetarian baked beans, drained
• 1 to 3 teaspoons hot sauce
• 12 ounces pepper jack or Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (3 cups)
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cut poblano chiles in half lengthwise to create a boat for filling and scrape out seeds.
2. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, garlic, jalapenos, red bell pepper, cilantro and cumin and cook over medium heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat and stir in baked beans, hot sauce and 2 cups of the cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into the hollowed chiles and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Set up grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium.
5. Arrange the chiles on the grill away from the heat. Cook until chiles are tender and cheese is browned and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Remove from gill and serve at once.

Notes

* You may substitute green bell peppers for the poblanos; cut pepper tops off about 1/2 inch below the stem. Using a spoon, scrape out the insides, taking care not to puncture the bottom.

If you are using a gas grill, place the wood chips in the smoker box or smoker pouch under the grill grate directly over the burner. Run grill on high until you see smoke, then reduce heat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, preheat to medium. Just before cooking, toss the wood chips on the coals.

Attribution

Chef Steve Raichlen