With summer's end fast approaching, I've been trying to take full advantage of fresh local produce before it disappears for the dreary months ahead. Vanessa of Vanesscipes is always a reliable source for vegetable inspiration, and her recent recipe for tempeh-stuffed poblanos put me in a relleno state of mind. What better way, I thought, to showcase a colorful mess of farmer's-market finds?

Indeed, these rellenos—stuffed with potatoes, kale, corn, zucchini, roasted poblanos, cilantro, onions, and garlic, then baked with a chipotle-infused tomato sauce—were hearty and delicious. A final topping of Monterey Jack cheese, melted under the broiler, added just a bit of decadence to this otherwise upstandingly healthful meal.

I used a dried chipotle chile (available from Penzey's) for the sauce. Simmered whole, it adds smokiness and depth, but very little heat. 


SUMMER VEGGIE RELLENOS (Inspired by Vanessa's recipe)

Chipotle Tomato Sauce:
1 28 ounce can tomatoes, crushed or passed through a food mill
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 dried chipotle
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Add tomatoes, oregano, and chipotle; simmer gently 30 minutes, partially covered. Season to taste.

Assembly:
9 fresh poblano chiles
3/4 pound yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into small cubes, and steamed or simmered until tender
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 bunch kale, chopped (remove and discard tough stems)
Kernels cut from 2 ears corn
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Chipotle tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

Broil poblanos, turning a few times, until charred all around. Put into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. After about twenty minutes, or when cool enough to handle, peel chiles, being careful to keep them intact. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside the six largest chiles. Seed and chop the other three. In a large pan, saute the onion and garlic in oil until soft. Add kale and saute until tender, 5-10 minutes. Add zucchini and corn, saute a couple of minutes. Add chopped poblanos, potatoes, and cilantro, stirring to combine. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Make a slit in each of the set-aside poblanos and carefully pull out seeds. Working directly over a baking dish large enough to hold all six peppers in a single layer, stuff them generously with the filling. Pour tomato sauce over the stuffed poblanos, and bake for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over the peppers, and put under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbling.


Technorati Tags: chiles rellenos, vegetarian recipes

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