Here is a recipe from one of my favorite sites, Best Bites for Texas. It is a publicatuion of the Texas Department of Agriculture and I think it shows what can be done when governmental agencies are passionate and committed without having to be committed.
This is a great recipe for stuffed chili peppers. Try this and the drop them a line at bestbites@TexasAgriculture.gov. Great Folks and an real resource for your western menu needs.
This Month's Theme: Spice up Your Holiday Dinner
If you have ever cooked with ancho chiles, you will love this recipe. It captures the best of the poblano's flavor, but forgoes the tedious job of peeling the chile before cooking or eating. For those unfamiliar, the ancho is a dried poblano chile and is the most commonly used pepper in Mexico. In this recipe, the chile is marinated in a delicious syrup and then stuffed with a combination of couscous, vegetables and Texas olive oil and Mediterranean spices.
Ancho Chiles Stuffed with Spinach, Mushrooms and Pecans
Serves 10
Chiles:
10 ancho chiles
1/2 cup Texas olive oil
1 white onion, sliced
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 pound dark brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Clean the chiles by cutting a slit from the stem to the bottom of the chile. Remove all seeds. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and fry the chiles on each side for a couple of seconds, being careful not to burn them. Set them aside to drain. Fry the onions in the same oil. In a separate pot, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil, making sure that the brown sugar completely dissolves. Turn the heat down and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the chiles and onions. The chiles must marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, but can remain in the liquid indefinitely.
Once the chiles have marinated for at least 24 hours, drain and carefully stuff them. Extra stuffing can be saved for several days and eaten alone, as a side dish, or even tossed with lettuce for a quick salad. The stuffed chiles should be refrigerated until ready to serve. They can be eaten cold or at room temperature.
Stuffing:
1 box couscous, unflavored
1/4 cup Texas olive oil
1 pound fresh Texas spinach leaves, chopped
8 ounces Texas mushrooms, sliced
1/2 of a Texas red bell pepper, diced
3 green onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Texas pecans, chopped and toasted
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dates, chopped
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. ginger
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup Texas olive oil
1/4 cup Texas extra virgin olive oil
Put the couscous in a bowl, and cover with very hot water by about 1/2 of an inch. Quickly cover with plastic wrap; set aside for 5-10 minutes. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over a medium-high flame. Add the spinach, mushrooms, bell pepper, onions and garlic. Cook for 7-10 minutes until all of the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. At this point, the covered couscous should be ready. Add the sautéed vegetables and the remainder of the ingredients to the bowl with the couscous. Stir to combine.
Recipe created by Chef Michael H. Flores; photograph by Tracey Maurer Photography; food styling by Mary Ellen Rose
