Stuffed

Trying to squeeze in another Mexican dish before Cinco de Mayo this Sunday. This recipe has got to be one of the best Mexican dishes I have ever made! Mind blowing good! The roasted poblanos have a mild roasted flavor that goes great with the green chile sauce and salty pork. Veggies stuffed with meat of any kind are great if you are watching your carbs or restricted to a gluten free diet. My only regret with making these was that there weren’t more! They were a little bit more work then most of my recipes but completely worth it. Take a break from the ordinary Mexican dish and try this extraordinary one.

Note: My recipe calls for Del Real brand chile verde but you can use any shredded meat. I have been using Del Real products for several years because it is so quick, convenient, and affordable.

INGREDIENTS
4 poblano (pasilla)chiles
16 oz package of Del Real Chile Verde
1 1/2 c pepper jack cheese, shredded
sour cream
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tbsp jalapeño, diced

STEPS
Note: If you have never before roasted peppers see this previous post on how to roast peppers for some additional guidance.

Prepare the chile verde per package instructions.
While the pork is cooking place the poblano chiles on a baking sheet.
Broil in the oven and turn every 5–7 minutes until all sides begin to blacken.
Remove from the oven and transfer the roasted peppers to a large bowl.
Cover the bowl with saran wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.
Set the oven to 350º.
While the peppers are sitting use a slotted spoon to remove the pork from the green chile sauce and transfer the meat to a cutting board.
Use a fork to shred the pork and place it back in the sauce and let it sit.
Gently peel the skin off the peppers.
Using a sharp knife make a slice down one side and carefully remove the majority of the seeds.
Holding the pepper in your hand place a handful of the pork inside the pepper and top off with a handful of the shredded cheese and fold the pepper around the filling.
Place the stuffed pepper in a large baking dish open side up and secure with a toothpick or two to help hold it closed.
Continue stuffing the remaining peppers.
Drizzle the peppers with half of the green chile sauce that the meat was in.
Bake the stuffed peppers in the oven for 15–20 minutes or until all the cheese is melted.
Place the peppers on a plate and garnish with the sour cream, cilantro, onion, and jalapeño.

I am in love with almost any recipe that can be prepared in advance and then just tossed in the oven. This recipe is one of those! I recently made it when a couple of friends would be stopping by for lunch. It was a quick visit so I knew I didn’t want to be in the kitchen while they were there. I assembled the whole thing that morning and then just put it in the oven when they arrived. Not only is great if you are having a couple of guests over for lunch but it is perfect for a picnic or even camping. You can make the sandwich ahead of time and then just toss the foil wrapped sandwich on the grille and turn it once or twice to keep the bottom from getting too crisp.

This sandwich is made in one large sourdough loaf that can be cut into 3-5 individual servings. It is literally packed with delicious flavors that go together really well. There’s just something perfect about the combination of hearty chicken pieces and thinly sliced pastrami, especially when smothered with gooey melted Swiss cheese and pressed together with perfectly toasted bread. I promise that you won’t find anything like this is your local deli. De-lish!

INGREDIENTS
large sourdough loaf
Dijon mustard
mayonnaise
1 1/2 c Swiss, shredded
1/2 lb sliced pastrami
2 c shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 c roasted red bell peppers
3 thin slices of red onion
salt and pepper

STEPS

Preheat oven to 400º.
Cut an oval out of the top of the loaf and remove it.
Tear out the inside of the bread leaving 1/2” thick bread shell.
Spread mayonnaise and Dijon mustard on the inside of the loaf and the underside of the lid.
Sprinkle half of the shredded Swiss in the bottom of the bread shell.
Layer in pastrami, shredded chicken, roasted red peppers, onions, and remaining cheese.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place the sandwich lid back in place and wrap tightly in foil.
Bake for 20–22 minutes or until the cheese is melted and all of the ingredients are warmed through.
Remove sandwich from foil and place on cutting board.
Cut into desired number of servings.