This is a recipe from my mama—the type of recipe you that’s told to you over the phone because it’s a little of this, a little of that, a little of whatever you’ve got in the fridge. It’s perfect for the end of summer when your pepper plants are exploding with fruit, or your CSA has blessed you with a cornucopia of them. The flavors are vaguely Mexican and it’s quick to throw together, especially if you have a tupperware of leftover rice languishing in your fridge (or, alternatively, a rice cooker with a timer).
It’s also the type of dish that’s great for a party because you can make the whole thing in advance. All that’s left to do once you’ve got a house full of friends is taking a hot dish out of the oven and setting it on the table. It isn’t the most picturesque of dishes when all said and done, but you can’t go wrong with the flavor combinations—the curse of the casserole. We made it for our dinner club last Thursday, and it’s more than fair to say everyone left full and happy. There isn’t really anything better than sitting down at a table filled with people you love, eating some solid, soul-warming food, and cracking a lot of jokes.
Fiesta Peppers, adapted from my mother’s recipe, serves 8
1 onion, diced
2 fresh chorizo sausages, removed from their casings (skip the sausage and this can be made vegetarian. Jordan made these sausages, no wondering I’m marrying him!)
1 can of black beans, drained
2 cups white rice, cooked (1 cup uncooked, this is a great way to use up leftover rice)
1/4 -1/2 cup sour cream (our addition, I’m sure my mother would skip it, but it does help everything stick together a bit better)
1 cup mild cheese, grated (we used a mixture of monterey jack and cheddar)
6-10 mild peppers, cut in half with seeds removed (bell pepper, poblano, any sweet pepper will do)
1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (we used 2 bottles of Trader Joe’s enchilada sauce – it’s good and makes this dish even easier to pull together)
salt and pepper
Tapatío hot sauce
lime for serving
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the chorizo in a bit of oil. When the chorizo is starting to brown, add the diced onion and cook a few minutes more. Put the chorizo onion mixture in a large bowl. Add the rice, black beans, sour cream and 1/2 cup of cheese, and mix to combine. Season with salt, pepper and a dash or two of Tapatío.
Lightly oil two oven-safe baking dishes (I filled one 9″x11″ and one 8″ round). Stuff the peppers with the sausage mixture and arrange them in the dish. Cover with enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and cheese has melted. Serve with lime, plus whatever other fixings you like—sour cream, guacamole, salsa, you know the drill.
-Emily
Ps. Eatwell Farm’s offer to our readers to try their CSA Farm Share subscription at a discount still stands! New Eatwell Farm subscribers can use the code: ALWAYSPORK to get their first 4 box subscription for just $99. $20 a week for perfect produce, like the sexy peppers and watermelon pictured above? You can’t go wrong!