Grilled Stuffed Chiles

Ingredients

  • 18 plump, short chiles to fit the roasting rack as best as possible
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 T white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 c olive oil
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 c shredded monterey jack cheese
  • 2 T chopped cilantro leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

-cut tops from chiles and hollow out interiors removing membranes and seeds
-in a small bowl, whisk together minced garlic and vinegar, slowly add olive oil while whisking, and season to taste with salt and pepper
-place hollowed chiles in a glass bowl and pour marinade over them; refrigerate for two hours; to evenly distribute, stir chiles and marinade twice during the two hours
-in a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, monterey jack cheese, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste
-remove one chile at a time from marinade and let excess oil drip back into bowl; fill each chile using a butter knife; start by placing a small amount of stuffing all the way at the bottom of the hollowed space and then continue adding until the filling reaches the top
-place filled chiles in the roasting rack and replace reserved tops on the chiles
-grill over medium-high heat for 10 minutes; turn rack; check for doneness after another eight minutes; chiles should be blistered and softened and the filling should be oozing and melty