So, I’m starting to think I may have a problem. An obsession, even. With stuffing poblano peppers.
It all started with this stuffed poblano recipe, and now I just want to find as many things as possible to stuff in them and devour. I mean, I’ve made variations of stuffed bell peppers a zillion times before, and J loves them. But these…these poblano peppers…have won me over. I think I’ve said it before, but I think it’s the thinner skin of the pepper. I love them. Love, love, love, love, love them.
For this variation, I stuffed them with Cajun-seasoned shrimp, quinoa, Manchego, Queso Fresco, and basil. Basil, y’all. It’s amazing that it all made it into the peppers at all. I wanted to mix it all up in a bowl and scarf it down just like that.
But then I remember how much better it would all be stuffed into the poblanos, and I was able to resist the urge. Thankfully it doesn’t take long to make them, so I didn’t have to wait very long for the finished product. The hardest part at that point was not burning myself trying to get them onto a plate and into my mouth, because I wasn’t patient enough to let them cool a bit. But there could be worse problems, right?
The Manchego adds a really nice depth of flavor to the dish, and the basil definitely shines through in each bite. There’s a little bit of heat from the Cajun spices, and possibly a lot-a-bit of spice from the hot sauce, depending one what kind you decide to use. Ours, of course, was a little more on the spicy side. And we both noticed that when we go to the top-end of the peppers, there even a little more heat…what’s that all about??
Cheesy, Cajun seasoned shrimp and quinoa stuffed into delicious poblano peppers makes this Mr. and Mrs. verrrry happy, indeed.
Cajun Shrimp Stuffed Poblanos
As seen on Chili Pepper Madness
Ingredients
- 4 large poblano peppers
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp Cajun seasonings (I wound up using a mixture of blackened and creole seasonings)
- 2 oz Queso Fresco (or goat cheese – J doesn’t like it so I had to improvise)
- 6 oz shredded Manchego cheese
- ~1/2 cup shredded basil leaves
- 1 Tbsp (or more) of your favorite hot sauce (I used one that we brought home from our honeymoon)
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Slice the poblano peppers in half lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds. Place on the prepared baking sheet, cut-side down. Spray the tops with a little cooking spray or olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool, enough to handle and flip over.
- Meanwhile, place the quinoa and water or broth in a small saucepan and cook according to package instructions. (Generally you bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.)
- While the quinoa is cooking, place the shrimp in a medium bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with Cajun seasonings. Toss to coat.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the shrimp, and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring until cooked through. Set aside to cool and then roughly chop them.
- Once cooled, place the shrimp, quinoa, cheeses, basil and hot sauce in a large bowl and stir to mix well.
- Spoon a generous amount of filling into each pepper half and bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheeses are bubbly and lightly browned. Serve with extra hot sauce, if you like it hot!
Leave a Reply