Making Corn Risotto-Stuffed Poblanos is a labor of love that takes a LOT of time, but it’s totally worth the effort. It helps to break this recipe into three steps: peel the poblanos, cook the risotto, and assemble. 

It is a pretty fun spin on stuffed peppers that provides just a little heat. Just when you think, uh oh, this is going to be too hot for me to eat, the creaminess of the risotto and sweetness of the corn help to convince you that you can handle the spicy poblano. This unique and colorful dish elevates any meal while delivering complex flavor.

I like spending time in the kitchen. It allows me to be creative, mindful, and if I’m going to get all philosophical: it teaches a lifelong lesson of enjoying the process. A lot of times – ok most of the time – when I invite people over for dinner I absolutely want to make a big impression. In an effort to impress Annie’s in-laws, I made this dish for a family dinner. I served enchiladas, beans, rice, and stuffed poblanos. It was way, way, way too much food. Can you say, hello food coma?

My recommendation is to consider serving this as the main entrée. It makes a wonderful dish for your vegetarian and gluten-free friends and family. Start with some homemade guacamole and chips. Then make the Corn Risotto-Stuffed Poblanos the star of the show.  If you think they are still going to be hungry, add some of the French Flan for dessert. All I’m going to say is, this recipe will make you work for it, but it is totally worth the effort.

Smitten Kitchen – Serves

Ingredients

• 8 Large fresh poblano chili peppers
• 6 C Chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 T Olive oil
• 1 Onion (small) finely chopped
• 1 Garlic clove, minced
• 2 C Arborio rice
• ½ C Beer
• 1 ½ C Corn kernels 
• ¾ C Monterey jack cheese
• ½ t Salt
• Ground pepper
• ¼ C Quesco fresco cheese (crumbled)
• 3 T Sour cream mixed with 1 T milk and a pinch of salt for serving
• 3 T Fresh cilantro chopped

Directions for the poblano chili peppers

• Lay several chili peppers at a time on their sides on the racks atop a gas burner, and turn the flame to high. Using tongs, rotate the chili peppers frequently until their skins are blistered, about four to six minutes each. Transfer the chili peppers to a bowl and cover them with foil or plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining chili peppers.  If you don’t have a gas stove top, you can do this under a broiler.

Directions for Risotto

• In a medium saucepan, heat the stock to a low simmer. On a separate burner, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the saucepan is hot, add the oil and heat it through. Then,  add the onion and sauté until it is softened and translucent, about eight minutes. Add the garlic and cook one additional minute until fragrant. Add the rice to the pot and stir it for two minutes until it becomes lightly toasty.  Pour in the beer, scraping up any stuck bits from the bottom of the pan.  Let the beer simmer for roughly a minute. Most of the liquid will disappear.  
• Ladle one cup of warm stock into the rice mixture, and simmer until it has been absorbed, stirring frequently. Add the remaining stock ½ cup at a time, allowing the stock to absorb before adding more. Stir often. Along with the final addition of the stock, add the corn. The total cooking time for the rice is about 30 minutes. The rice mixture should be creamy and tender. Though risotto is traditionally supposed to be on the loose side, you can leave this one slightly thicker, so it can be easily stuffed into peppers. Once the stock is added and the risotto is tender, stir in the Monterey Jack cheese, the salt, and ground black pepper. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Remove risotto from the heat. 

Assemble and cook pablons

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Remove chili peppers from the bowl, and gently rub off the skins, which should now come off easily. Cut a slit lengthwise in each chili pepper and remove the seeds and membranes as thoroughly as possible. Leave the stems on – they are cute. Fill each chili pepper with risotto through the slit. Arrange the chili peppers tightly in a baking dish, and sprinkle the space between them with crumbled cheese. Bake the peppers for 12 – 15 minutes until bronzed a bit on top.

To serve

• In a small dish, whisk together the sour cream, milk, and salt.  Drizzle the mixture over hot 
• peppers. Garnish with cilantro.  Eat them while they’re hot.