This meal of rice and stuffed poblanos surprised me. It filled my every vegetarian yearning—with carbs, cheese, vegetables and protein all piled into a pretty heap on our plates.
For this initial preparation, I followed a recipe for green rice with stuffed poblanos from Madhur Jaffrey’s “World Vegetarian” cookbook. Although the green rice was bland, the idea of heating cheese-stuffed peppers over a simmering pot of rice has potential for a slew of meals.
Roast a few peppers (any large variety, really), stuff them with cheese (or other pre-cooked filling) and heat them on top of simmering (or baking) rice for seven to 10 minutes.
Here are a few ideas:
- Yellow rice with poblanos
- Spanish rice with poblanos or red peppers
- Herby pilaf with mozzarella-stuffed red peppers
- Raisin- and cinnamon-studded rice with feta-stuffed red peppers
- Pilau with paneer-stuffed peppers
- Garlic rice with pimento-cheese stuffed peppers
Throw in vegetables, beans, cooked meats, spices, etc. Possibilities abound.
Here’s the basic (generic) preparation:
Roast peppers under the broiler, turning as skin begins to blacken. When all sides are blistered and darkened, remove from oven, and cool slightly. Remove skins.
Begin cooking rice according to recipe.
Meanwhile, cut a lengthwise slit in the peppers. Remove seeds and stems. Stuff peppers with cheese/filling, enclosing all of the filling inside.
In the last 7 to 10 minutes of the rice’s cooking time, lay peppers atop the rice and heat through until cheese is melted.
Remove peppers from the pot. Serve rice topped with stuffed peppers.