Author Notes
I spotted a recipe for "Squash-Stuffed Roasted Poblano Peppers" seven years ago in Eating Well (Fall 2003) and was immediately smitten. I adapted the recipe to suit my preferences & pantry. Admittedly, it's a bit of a challenge, but I return to it every Fall when I can’t resist the shiny, green poblanos next to the smooth, caramel-colored butternut squash at the Farmer’s Market. The biggest challenge is keeping the poblanos intact during all the handling. The key is roasting them just the right amount, or a bit less. Not enough roasting, and removing the skin is tricky. But this is preferable to roasting too much, which makes the flesh fragile and prone to ripping.
Serve these stuffed poblanos with a dollop of sour cream to tame the heat of the pepper and a pile of tortilla chips for crunchy contrast. —Margiemic
Ingredients
-
1
small-medium butternut squash
-
2 tablespoons
cornmeal
-
1 tablespoon
honey
-
1 tablespoon
unsalted butter, melted
-
1 teaspoon
smoked paprika
-
1/2 teaspoon
dried oregano
-
3/4 teaspoon
salt
-
4
medium-large poblano peppers
-
3/4 cup
shredded Colby or Monterey Jack cheese
-
1/2 cup
all-purpose flour
-
1
egg, beaten
-
1/2 cup
bread crumbs
-
1/4 teaspoon
salt
-
2 tablespoons
olive oil
-
1/2 cup
sour cream
Directions
-
Cut butternut squash in half and roast cut-side down on greased baking sheet in 400 degree F oven for about an hour, or until tender throughout. Scoop cooked squash into food processor and process till smooth. Measure 1 ½ cups of pureed squash into medium bowl (store any extra squash in refrigerator for another use).
-
Add cornmeal, honey, butter, smoked paprika, oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to pureed squash and mix thoroughly. Taste and add salt to taste if desired – don’t worry about the gritty cornmeal at this point – it will soften during cooking. Refrigerate squash mixture till poblanos are ready for stuffing.
-
Roast poblanos in a 450 degree F oven, turning as necessary, until skin starts to blacken and blister all over, about 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer poblanos to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes.
-
Use a paring knife to remove and discard skin from the poblanos, handling gently to keep poblanos intact. Don’t worry about any patches of skin that remain. Make one cut lengthwise in each poblano, from stem to tip. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out seeds without tearing the poblano. Discard seeds.
-
Gently spoon about 1/3 cup of squash mixture into each poblano, filling each poblano about 3/4 full. Then add about 3 Tablespoons shredded cheese to each poblano. Close poblano by squeezing gently along slit. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
-
Put flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt to flour. Triple dip each poblano in flour, then egg, followed by breadcrumbs. Heat olive oil in nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add poblanos and sauté for about 5 minutes or until coating is golden brown all over, carefully turning poblanos about halfway. Transfer poblanos to greased baking sheet.
-
Bake poblanos at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until squash is hot throughout and cheese is melted. Remove poblanos from oven and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve each poblano with scoop of sour cream.
See what other Food52ers are saying.