I watched Rachael make these and it looked complicated what with the broiler being on and everything. There is a butcher shop called Snider's Meat Market down the street and everything there is wonderful, but they have these chili rellenos that are absolute cream cheese, fattening heaven. These are a GREAT vegetarian, low-fat version. The red onion makes the whole dish so sweet and yummy. I love it! The rice was also wonderful, but makes quite a bit. I did not want my oven on so I actually used the grill completely by myself :) and just charred the peppers. Then, when I filled the peppers and topped with cheese (which can be omitted if you want to cut even more calories because there is so much flavor), I actually put them in a 9x13 and just put the pan straight on the grill to melt the cheese. Enjoy!

Charred Chili Relleno with Green Rice

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2007

Show: 30 Minute MealsEpisode: Craving Buster

• Level: Easy

• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, divided
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups white rice
• 4 large poblano peppers
• 6 ears corn on the cob or 3 cups frozen corn kernels
• 3 tablespoons corn, peanut or vegetable oil, divided
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained well
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palm full
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, eyeball it in your palm
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 pound spinach leaves, deveined and coarsely chopped
• 4 scallions, coarsely chopped
• 2 limes, zested, juiced
• 1 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese, Asadero or Monterey Jack

Directions

Preheat broiler or grill pan to high.

Heat about 3 1/2 cups stock in a sauce pot with a bay leaf to boiling. Add rice, cover pot reduce heat to low and simmer 18 minutes until tender.

Place poblanos under broiler or on hot grill and char evenly all over, 15 minutes.

While peppers and rice are working, scrape the corn off the cobs or defrost frozen corn and dry by spreading out on clean kitchen towel. Heat 2 tablespoons light oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil smokes or ripples add corn, onion, jalapenos and toss until the vegetables char at edges and onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and add in garlic, fire roasted tomatoes and season with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another minute or 2 then turn pan off.

Place the cilantro, spinach, scallions, lime zest, half a cup of stock and a tablespoon of oil in food processor and process into coarse green paste. Stir into your rice pot in the last 3 to 4 minutes of its cooking time.

Sprinkle the lime juice over the corn mixture.

Split the charred peppers open but not in half with small sharp knife then scoop out the seeds with a small spoon. Place peppers in a shallow baking dish and stuff each split pepper with lots of the corn mix, top each pepper with 1/4 cup cheese and place back under broiler to melt and char the cheese.

Serve peppers on beds of green rice. Yum-o!