Arroz Verde con Chiles Relleños

Sometimes I'll go to the local farmers market or grocery store on a mission to get a certain ingredient I need for a recipe, only to be distracted by all the other wonderful produce I see. I imagine all the ways I could cook a particular vegetable or fruit, then move on to the next. 

Just the other day this happened to me. I needed to get parsley, specifically for this chiles relleños dish. I placed the parsley promptly in my basket and out of the corner of my eye I was distracted by the dark leafy greens and tightly packed heads of broccoli, only to realize once getting home, that I had purchased cilantro instead of parsley. Easy to do for some, but I know the difference, I grew it in my yard last year. Not wanting to make another trip to the store I decided to just go with it.

I've had Chile Relleños many different ways and it is always delicious. In this version I used brown rice and my accidental purchase of cilantro, but parsley is what the recipe called for. Mine also took a little longer to cook, so keep testing until the rice is cooked how you like it. If you cannot find poblano chiles, you can use small green bell peppers and rub the insides with a little cayenne after they have been peeled.

Arroz Verde con Chiles Relleños (Green Rice with Stuffed Poblano Chiles)

Adapted from World Vegetarian 

serves 4

4 poblano chilies (12 ounces), roasted

2 ounces cheddar or monterey jack cheese

2 loosely packed cups parsley or cilantro, leaves only

1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons peanut or canola oil

2 cups long-grain rice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups soy milk

To roast the chilies, preheat the oven to 425˚F. Lay the whole peppers on a pan, as many as it will hold easily, and put them in the upper third of the oven. Roast them for 25 minutes, turning once after 10 minutes, then checking them every 5 minutes until all the sides are roasted evenly. Take the trays out of the oven and cover with a dish towel for 10 minutes.

Remove the stem and seeds of the chilies. Peel them and open them up so they lie flat. Cut the cheese into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick slices. Lay a slice of cheese along one half of the Chile. Fold the other half of the chile over the cheese to re-form the Chile shape. do this with the remaining chilies and set aside.

In a blender or food processor, combine the parsley, onion, garlic, and 1/3 cup of water. Blend thoroughly.

Put the oil in a medium, heavy bottomed nonstick pot and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the rice and salt. Turn the heat down to medium-low, stir and sauté for 6-7 minutes, or until the rice is golden. Add the parsley mixture and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to low and cook, stirring very gently, without breaking the rice grains, for 4-5 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat down to a very low, and cook for 25 minutes. Lift the cover and very quickly lay the poblano chiles over the rice in a single layer. Cover and keep cooking gently until the cheese has melted, a matter of minutes.

Most likely a little bit of the rice will brown at the bottom, don't worry.

To serve, remove the chiles carefully and set them to one side. Take out the rice with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving dish, leaving any browned bits behind. Arrange the chiles over the top and serve.