Pimientos de Anaheim con Queso (Cheesy Anaheim Peppers)

This is a simple, quick dish to accompany any entree where a Mexican flare is needed.  It's quick but looks like one of those dishes you'd spend a lot of time making. It also opened my eyes to a whole world of stuffed peppers using Anaheim and its cousin, Poblano chili peppers, both of which are generally mild in heat.  Poblano peppers are darker in color and have more of a bell pepper body shape, whereas Anaheim peppers are more slender.  When you buy a can of "Green Chilies," you are generally getting Anaheim peppers.

Either would work in this recipe and the recipe would be unchanged except you might have to lift your quantity of ingredients if you use Poblano peppers because of its larger cavity.  

At any rate, this won't be the last stuffed Chili pepper recipe I will be posting.  My culinary curiosity is afoot.

Incidentally, this recipe finishes the dish with a bit of Crema Mexicana, which is a lighter version of American sour cream that is drizzled rather than dolloped.  You can easily substitute sour cream.

Ingredients
2 large Anaheim peppers, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and ribs removed
1/2 shallot, finely minced
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 cup whipped cream cheese (like, Philadelphia Whipped)
8 oz shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
4 pinches Ancho chili powder
4 pinches paprika
2 oz Crema Mexicana
salt & pepper

The Recipe
Combine the shallot, garlic, vinegar, cream cheese and Mexican Blend cheese until smooth.

The heat of most any chili pepper is mostly in its seeds and the white ribs inside the cavity of the pepper that hold the seeds in place.  Use a spoon to remove as much of this white material as you can without going into the green skin of the pepper.  This will assure a milder dish.  But if you like more heat, leave more of the white ribs in place.

Heat the broiler on your oven to the highest setting. Arrange chilies on a baking sheet. Drizzle all over with the olive oil; season with salt and black pepper. Turn the chilies cut side down and broil about 6-inches away from the heat source until slightly softened and skins are blistered all over, about 3 - 5 minutes. A little char is a good thing.

Pre-heat oven to 400F degrees.

Divide cheese mixture into the cavity of the peppers. Sprinkle with Ancho chili powder and paprika.

Bake the stuffed chilies at 400F degrees for 20 minutes.  Drizzle Crema Mexicana over the chilies after plating.