Stuffed Chilies With Cactus Recipes

SLOW COOKER CACTUS CHILI

Steps:

• Combine ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until beef is browned, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer beef and onion to a slow cooker. Stir in diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, nopales, tomato paste, chili powder, sugar, chipotle pepper, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• Cook on Low until flavors combine, about 4 hours.

NOPALES-STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the stuffing: In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, cactus, onions, garlic and salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables sweat, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the onions are fully cooked, 5 to 7 minutes longer; set aside.
• For the chicken: Place about 2 tablespoons of the cactus stuffing on one side of each chicken breast. If you have remaining stuffing, reserve it for garnish. Top with the cheese. Using a brush, coat the edges of the chicken breasts with the egg and fold over the chicken to close.
• Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Season the chicken breasts with the salt and pepper. Carefully place each stuffed breast in the hot pan. Cook each side until seared and a nice crust forms, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a sheet pan and bake until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
• For the sauce: Reduce the heat to low under the saute pan that was used for the chicken. Add the cumin, coriander and paprika and cook, stirring, until toasted, for a minute or two, taking care not to burn the spices-add a little oil to the pan if it looks dry. Add the lime zest and juice and cook, stirring, until the juice has reduced. Very carefully add the tequila; it may ignite, but not for too long. Stir in the chicken stock, salt and pepper; lower the heat and cook until reduced, about 10 minutes.
• Place the chicken in a serving dish, cover with the sauce and garnish with any reserved cactus stuffing and chopped fresh parsley.

CHILES EN NOGADA (MEXICAN STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS IN WALNUT SAUCE)

Steps:

• Roast poblano chiles over an open flame on a gas stove or grill until the skin is black and charred on all sides, turning often, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place the charred chiles in a plastic bag or in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then open and peel off the skin. Cut a slit in each chile lengthwise and remove the seeds.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add ground pork and cook until browned, breaking up with a spoon while cooking, about 7 minutes. Mix in tomatoes, plantain, apple, peach, parsley, candied orange peel, pine nuts, raisins, almonds, cloves, salt, and pepper. Simmer until filling is cooked through and flavors are well combined, about 10 minutes.
• Combine walnuts, milk, goat cheese, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a blender; blend until walnut sauce is smooth and creamy.
• Fill each poblano chile with the pork filling and place on a plate. Spoon walnut sauce over chile and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and parsley.

BAKED CORN STUFFED CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• ADVANCE prep of the corn and peppers:.
• Preheat grill or broiler to high heat.
• Spray corn with nonstick spray and season to taste with salt and pepper; grill corn (or broil 4" from heat), turning every 2-3 minutes, for 12 minutes or until all kernels are browned.
• Let corn cool and when cool enough to handle, cut off kernels (you will need about 1 1/2 cups).
• Roast the chiles either on the grill or in the broiler, turning every 3 minutes (12 minutes total) or until all the skin is charred.
• Immediately pop the peppers into a large, clean paper bag and roll top to seal.
• Let bag sit 15 minutes- when you open the bag, the skins should have loosened up.
• Let peppers cool down enough to handle and peel off charred skins (while wearing plastic gloves to protect your hands).
• (All of the steps up to this point can be done in advance if needed).
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Set aside 6 of the peppers whole, then cut up the remaining 2 peppers, seeding them and cutting them into 1/4" pieces.
• Mix the 2 chopped peppers with the roasted corn.
• Get your bowl or roasted corn kernels and chopped peppers and mix in cheese, scallions, garlic,cilantro,and currants.
• Taste the mixture and add more salt and pepper if needed-it should be highly seasoned.
• Get your reserved 6 whole roasted and skinned chilies and cut a 2" long slit lengthwise making a chilie pouch.
• Scoop out the core and seeds (try not to tear the skin of the pepper), leaving the stem intact.
• Stuff each pepper with the corn mixture.
• Set flour in a shallow bowl, egg in another, cornmeal in a third bowl.
• Dip each chilie into the flour, then the egg, then the cornmeal and set on a nonstick baking sheet (or a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed lightly with nonstick spray).
• Spray the tops of the stuffed chilies well with nonstick spray.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and the filling is hot.
• Suggested garnishes: Fresh cilantro leaves, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream if desired.