Totally Test Kitchen
I first saw this recipe in
June's Cooking Light Magazine. I have been pulling recipes and articles out of magazines for years and placing them in binders. Now that there is
Pinterest, I no longer have to do that.
I love it
I just find the recipe online; and hopefully, they already have a "Pin it" button for me; but if not, no worries, I have my own "Pin it" option saved to my bookmarks in Explorer.
Again, I love it!
I've had the quinoa for a while, but just haven't had the nerve to cook with it.
This recipe seemed to have just the right ingredients
(all of my favorites - tomatoes, poblano peppers, corn and CHEESE)
The recipe does not call for any meat, which is fine with me, but I had just bought this
Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage from my favorite store, Trader Joe's.
My brother is staying with me, and since this is more of a girl meal, not a Texas manly meal, I figured I'd add this to "hearty" it up.
This sausage is so amazing, that you do not have to tell a Texas man that's it's not beef.
Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage from Trader Joe's
Stuffed tomato before the cheese - see the quinoa, peppers, corn, and sausage ?
Now, with the colby jack cheese ... ready to go into the oven
Baked Tomatoes with
Jalapeno Chicken Sausage, Quinoa, Corn,& Green Chiles
adapted from Cooking Light, June 2012
makes 6 tomatoes
Ingredients
•2 poblano chiles
•1 pkg jalapeno chicken sausage (optional)
•4 ears corn
•1 cup chopped red onion
•6 large ripe tomatoes
•1 cup uncooked quinoa
•1/4 cup water
•1 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
•2 scallions, thinly sliced
•2 Tbs olive oil
•juice of 1 lime
•1 tsp kosher salt, divided
•1 tsp ground cumin
•pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
•1/2 tsp chile powder
•1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
•6 oz Colby Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
Directions
Cut the tops off the tomatoes. Carefully scoop out the tomato pulp, leaving the shells intact. Drain the pulp through a sieve set over a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Reserve 1 1/4 cups of the tomato juices, and discard the pulp and seeds. Sprinkle the inside of the tomatoes with 1/2 teaspoon of salt (total, not each). Invert the tomatoes onto a lint-free kitchen towel and stand 30 minutes. Blot the insides of the tomatoes dry with a paper towel or kitchen towel.
Preheat the broiler to high.
Cut the poblano chiles in half lengthwise and discard the seeds and membranes. Place the chiles, skin-side-up, on a foil-lined baking sheet, and flatten with your hand. Broil about 8 minutes, or until the skin is blistered and blackened. Remove the chile to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to steam for about 10 minutes. Peel and rinse the chiles, then coarsely chop.
Add the corn and onion to the pan. Broil, tossing once or twice, about 10 minutes, or until charred and blackened in spots. Add the corn and onion to the bowl with the chiles.
Meanwhile, slice the chicken sausage (horizontal) and cook in a sauce pan with one tablespoon of olive oil. Cook over medium high heat until cooked through. Slice in half and place in the bowl with the corn, chiles and onion. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the quinoa. Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse well under cold water, stirring as you rinse. Drain well. Combine the quinoa, reserved tomato liquid, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Add the quinoa to the bowl with the sausage, corn, chiles, and onion, and stir in the cilantro, scallions, olive oil, lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, cayenne, chile powder, pepper, and 1/2 cup cheese.
Spoon about 3/4 cup of the quinoa filling into each of the tomatoes. Divide the remaining cheese evenly over the tops and bake about 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and serve.
