Stuffed Poblano Chiles
Prep 15 mins Cook Filling 15 mins Bake 20 mins Eat 50 mins
How about making some Stuffed Poblanos for Cinco de Mayo with the best Picadillo Stuffing I’ve tasted? I was treated to a tasting event at Melissa’s Produce to meet Chef Geraldine Gilliland, owner of 28-year old Lula’s Cocina restaurant in Santa Monica and these Stuffed Poblano Chiles were a standout for me. I couldn’t stop eating them. Spicy from the roasted poblanos and full of flavor from the cinnamon, cumin, raisins, almonds and green olives in the beef stuffing. Yummy!
Lula’s: A fun place to hang out and eat authentic Mexicana specialties.
What is a girl from Belfast, Ireland doing in a Mexican restaurant? It’s a long story that Geraldine would be happy to share with you at Lula’s Tequila Cantina some evening when you stop into her restaurant on Main Street in Santa Monica.
Lula’s storefront in Santa Monica on Main Street.
Gilliland was one of the first to place her stake on this street with Gilliland’s Pub and Cafe and then Lula’s, named after a Mexican chef profiled in Bon Appetit magazine, Lula Bertran. Gilliland wanted to learn to cook true Mexican, called Bertran and the dishes served at Lula’s are a result of learning to cook in Lula’s Mexico City home. The rest is history, as they say and now Main Street in Santa Monica is a mecca of upscale restaurants and shops.
Beautiful Poblano Chiles are the star of this recipe.
The skins on the roasted chiles are removed easily with a sharp knife.
First, you will need to roast the poblano chiles. Poblanos are the large dark green chiles that are in every southern California supermarket. I put them on my outdoor gas grill, but you can put them on a baking sheet and blister them under a broiler or on top of a gas burner. After they are blistered and black all over, place them in a plastic bag and let them steam on your counter while you make the stuffing. You can roast the chiles the day before to save time too.
The stuffing is prepared in a fry pan and cooled before filling the chiles.
While the chiles are roasting, make the stuffing. Heat olive oil in a fry pan, add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and then the ground beef and cook on medium heat. Add the white wine, raisins, almonds, tomato paste, cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until all ingredients are incorporated, about 10 minutes. Add the green olives and season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Remove the seeds from the chile keeping the stem intact.
After the chiles have steamed, you can remove the skin with a sharp knife and then slice a slit in the side and remove the seeds, keeping the stem intact.
These baked stuffed poblanos are ready to serve.
Pour about a cup of the tomato sauce into a 9 x 11 baking dish or one that will hold the chiles snugly. Place them opening side up in the baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes.
Stuffed Poblanos with a Picadillo Stuffing and Tomato Sauce.
Serve with more tomato sauce on the side and optional sour cream.
Lula’s Stuffed Poblanos with a red mole sauce.
If you are in the area, stop by and meet Gilliland herself and taste the amazing Stuffed Poblano Chiles directly from her kitchen. I stopped there recently and ordered them with their home made red mole sauce, which was smoky and complemented the Stuffed Poblanos perfectly.
If you like these Stuffed Poblano Chiles, try my Mamacita’s Stuffed Vegetarian Peppers recipe too.
Stuffed Poblano Chiles from Lula's Restaurant
Ingredients
- 8 large Poblano chiles
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 3/4 cup white wine
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 20 green olives pitted, chopped
- 1 salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups Tomato Sauce below
- 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
Tomato Sauce
- 1 28 ounce can tomatoes crushed
- 1-2 jalapeno chile peppers
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Roast the chiles. I put them on my outdoor gas grill, but you can put them on a baking sheet and blister them under a broiler or on top of a gas burner. After they are blistered and black all over, place them in a plastic bag and let them steam on your counter while you make the stuffing. You can roast the chiles the day before to save time too.
- Make the tomato sauce: Place the jalapeno, garlic and 2 Tablespoons water in a blender and blend well or until broken up. Add the can of tomatoes and blend. Heat the oil in a fry pan and add the tomato mixture. Cook on high heat, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom of the pan for 5-6 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- While the chiles are roasting, make the stuffing. Heat olive oil in a fry pan, add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and then the ground beef and cook on medium heat. Also, add the white wine, raisins, almonds, tomato paste, cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until all ingredients are incorporated, about 10 minutes. Add the green olives and season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- After the chiles have steamed, you can remove the skin with a sharp knife and then slice a slit in the side and remove the seeds, keeping the stem intact.
- Pour about a cup of the tomato sauce into a 9 x 11 baking dish that will hold the chiles snugly. Place them opening side up in the baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes. Serve with more fresh tomato sauce on the side and optional sour cream.
- Enjoy this recipe from FreshFoodinaFlash.com
Nutrition
Stuffed Poblano Chiles from Lula’s Cocina Restaurant
The Picadillo stuffing in these chiles is delicious and full of flavor from the spices, raisins, almonds and olives. This recipe makes a plentiful amount of the stuffing, which can easily fill up to 12 poblanos.
8 large Poblano chiles
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced
8 cloves garlic
2 1/2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup white wine
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
20 green olives, pitted, chopped
1 salt and pepper to taste
4 cups Tomato Sauce (below)
1/2 cup sour cream, (optional)
Tomato Sauce
1 28 ounce can tomatoes, crushed
1-2 jalapeno chile peppers
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1. Roast the chiles. I put them on my outdoor gas grill, but you can put them on a baking sheet and blister them under a broiler or on top of a gas burner. After they are blistered and black all over, place them in a plastic bag and let them steam on your counter while you make the stuffing. You can roast the chiles the day before to save time too.
2. Make the tomato sauce: Place the jalapeno, garlic and 2 Tablespoons water in a blender and blend well or until broken up. Add the can of tomatoes and blend. Heat the oil in a fry pan and add the tomato mixture. Cook on high heat, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom of the pan for 5-6 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
3. While the chiles are roasting, make the stuffing. Heat olive oil in a fry pan, add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and then the ground beef and cook on medium heat. Also, add the white wine, raisins, almonds, tomato paste, cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until all ingredients are incorporated, about 10 minutes. Add the green olives and season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. After the chiles have steamed, you can remove the skin with a sharp knife and then slice a slit in the side and remove the seeds, keeping the stem intact.
5. Pour about a cup of the tomato sauce into a 9 x 11 baking dish that will hold the chiles snugly. Place them opening side up in the baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes. Serve with more fresh tomato sauce on the side and optional sour cream.
Servings: 8 – 753 calories per serving
I love this recipe! I think it is wonderful that you can see the delicious filling that goes into these fabulous stuffed chiles.
I made these again last night and this time I didn’t cook the ground beef before filling the chiles, just mixing the ingredients together like a meat loaf. I think I prefer it that way…easier to fill and baking 30 minutes in the oven instead of 20.
Patricia, this is so awesome! I’ve been going to Lula’s for years. We love sitting out back on the patio. 🙂 This recipe looks fabulous, and poblanos are probably my favorite fresh pepper to cook with. Love them roasted like this!
I have been trying to find this recipe for years!!! When I lived in Santa Monica Lula’s was a favorite place!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Lula’s has a fabulous menu and is a fun restaurant with delicious food. I’m glad you found the recipe. It’s a winner. Unique flavors with the spice mixture and the sauce too.