Kitchen Adventures || Smokey Chipotle Stuffed Poblanos
Ok… Who has tips for cutting onions without crying your eyes out? I swear, I even tear up cutting lil ol’ green onions… Short of wearing swimming goggles (which I have) I don’t know what to do! Anyway… I love onions and I don’t think I could cook regularly without them so, I’ll get over it.
This week, I’m completing my saga of the Force of Nature meats we have available! Aside from the bison/bacon burgers which don’t need a recipe. I’ve done recipes for ancestral beef, bison, wild boar, & elk, so this week we have venison! I’ve eaten a lot of venison in my life, but I haven’t prepared much of it.
This recipe is born from kind of a mash of different dishes I like to make and I thought would pair well with the natural flavors in venison. I wasn’t entirely sure how it would turn out, but I must say I’m pleased! I love the smoky tangy flavor of chipotle peppers in adobo so that gives this dish much of it’s flavor, but be warned they can pack a pretty big punch. I’ve paired this with a cool lime crema sauce to go on top that will bring down the heat just a bit and give it a little extra zing.
Like I do with a lot of dishes, I served this with some roasted sweet potatoes. To my surprise, however, I ended up with one orange and one white sweet potato! Pulled out of the same bin! I do have to say I like how they turned out visually 🙂 I seasoned this batch with cinnamon and chili powder for a bit of contrast.
This is a quick weeknight dish that will yield 4 total peppers so Tim and I will have some left over for tomorrow’s lunch!
Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
1 Package Force Of Nature Venison
1 Cup (uncooked) brown rice
4 Large Poblano Peppers
1 small yellow onion – diced
3 cloves of garlic – minced
1 can black beans – drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
3 tsp pureed chipotles in adobo sauce (I bought it pre-pureed, but you can do this in a food processor)
1 TBSP chili powder (I like a dark chili powder)
1 tsp cumin
Olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
For the sauce
1/2 cup Mexican Crema
Juice from 1 small lime
Pinch of salt
Cilantro – chopped finely
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cook the rice according to the instructions. 
Mix all of the ingredients for the crema in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. If it’s too thick, add a splash of cold water.
In a glass baking dish, place the peppers in about a 1/4 inch of water. Microwave for 3 minutes. Check the peppers for tenderness, flip and microwave for another 2 minutes or until softened. They should be soft, but still hold shape. Drain the water and set aside to cool until they are cool enough for you to handle.
Heat about a TBSP of olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the venison and cook until browned. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and some S&P and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Next, add the tomatoes, beans, and rice. Stir well to combine. Finally, add the chipotle puree and mix well. Turn down the heat, taste the mixture and adjust to your liking.
When you can handle the peppers, cut the top off, and slice one side open. Remove the seeds and stems. Coat the outside with olive oil and sprinkle some salt on each one. In the glass baking dish, fill each pepper with the venison mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until you start to see the skin blister. Be careful not to let the filling burn!
Remove and serve with a drizzle of the crema and some extra cilantro if you like!