California Brown Rice Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Avocado Cream
Now that summer is here, I have a favorite go to side dish, stuffed poblano peppers, fresh out of the garden, along with tomatoes, bell pepper, thyme, and basil. The stuffed peppers are easy to prepare, and they also make a hearty meatless dish.
Ingredients
Vegetables
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 lrange bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried cumin
½ teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon dried coriander
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar in the raw
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
Avocado Cream
1 large avocado, peeled and pit removed
1 garlic clove
½ teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon dried cumin
Lime juice to thin cream
Rice Stuffing Mix
5 large poblano peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds completed removed
1¾ cups cooked California Brown Rice
1 cup white corn (frozen or fresh)
1 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Feta cheese, crumbled, for topping
Parsley sprigs for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss fresh vegetables, herbs and spices with sugar, olive oil and vinegar. Place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, and roast for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.
In a food processor, combine avocado, garlic, salt, yogurt and dried cumin. Blend until smooth, adding a small amount of lime juice to thin cream to preferred consistency. Refrigerate cream until ready to serve.
In a large bowl, combine cooked California brown rice, corn, beans, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, basil and olive oil. Gently stir in roasted vegetable mixture. Stuff each pepper with the filling, sprinkling feta cheese on top. Roast stuffed peppers in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until browned. Drizzle stuffed peppers with the avocado cream. Serve warm.
Serves 8 to 10
Julie recently retired as the Finance & Administration Manager for the California Rice Commission, and is a big proponent of trying new recipes- especially if they feature California rice.
