Beer Bean-Stuffed Poblano Peppers

I have done several different stuffed peppers recipes over the last year. I'm starting to think it might be one of my favorite things to make. Definitely in the top 3. I posted another stuffed peppers recipe (see here) last December, and I completely fell in love with that one and have made it many times since then. This Beer Bean-Stuffed Peppers recipe is a close competitor! This was really, very delicious!

I altered the recipe slightly. First, as you can see, I have green bell peppers instead of poblano peppers. There were no poblano peppers to be found at the grocery store yesterday, but the green bell peppers worked just fine. The recipe calls for you to cut a slit in the poblano peppers and stuff everything inside of them, but because that would have been difficult with the green bell peppers, I decided to cut them in half and do this recipe in an open-face style.

Because I cut the peppers like this, I cooked them in the oven a little differently from how the recipe says to do it. With the stuffing and cheese exposed directly to the heat, I didn't want all of that to dry out or burn, so instead of stuffing it all and sticking it in the oven for 25 minutes, I first just put the peppers alone in the oven (still used the suggested heat of 425°F) for 10 minutes to let them roast a bit, then I filled the peppers with the stuffing, holding off on the cheese, and cooked them for another 10 minutes, and then in the last 5 minutes, I added the cheese.

A few alterations to the ingredients: I used canned beans instead of dried beans, and in an effort to try to save some money, I just used a chipotle rub seasoning that I had at the house instead of buying chipotle chiles in adobo, I did not get/use the feta cheese, and just used a shredded Mexican cheese blend that we already had at the house instead of the shredded jack cheese. I thought it all worked out just perfect!

I was really happy with how these turned out. There was a lot of flavor packed into those peppers! I especially liked the combination of the chipotle and cinnamon flavors. A combination I would not have thought of on my own, but having those contrasting flavors really added a lot to the dish! Plus it smelled fantastic as it was all cooking!

If do you make this dish, make sure to go to the actual website where I got the recipe from. She posted some notes at the end that you might want to check out, such as if you use canned beans, you don't have to add the 2 1/2 cups of water and let the beans simmer. Enjoy!

Beer Bean-Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Total time: about 1 hour  Yield: 4 servings

Beer beans
1/2 pound dried black beans, picked over and rinsed (or 1 can of cooked beans; you'll need about 2 cups, cooked)
1 tsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces Mexican beer
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, chopped (or 1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder)
scant 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
sea salt
Peppers
6 poblano chiles
1 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
1 cup shredded Jack cheese
juice of 1/2 lime
1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large bowl, soak the beans in plenty of water for at least 6 hours, or up to overnight.
2. Drain the beans and set them aside. In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic and saute for a few minutes, until the onion is just softened.
3. Add the soaked beans and 2 1/2 cups water, stir, and bring the beans to a simmer. Simmer until the beans are cooked through (but not totally tender), 45 minutes to 75 minutes. Add the beer, chipotle and cinnamon and simmer until much of the liquid is absorbed, around 20 minutes. If necessary, add some water to keep the beans from drying out. Add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt, to taste, and cook for another 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425° and set the beans aside.
4. Grease a large baking dish or cast iron skillet. Cut a slit down the length of each poblano. Use your fingers (you might want to wear gloves) and a paring knife to remove, and then discard, the membranes and seeds from each pepper.
5. In a bowl, mix together the shredded Jack and crumbled cotija/feta cheese with the lime juice. If there is still a good amount of liquid in your beans, drain off some of it. Mix the chopped tomatoes into the beans. Use a spoon to fill most of each pepper with beans, then stuff a handful of cheese inside. Brush the outside of each pepper with olive oil and bake for around 25 minutes, until the tops are roasted and golden and the pepper is tender all around. Serve peppers immediately, with the slit side up and garnished with cilantro.