4 poblanos, washed, dried and left whole

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 cups grated Mexican blend cheese

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Method:

To prepare the poblanos:

1.     Using metal tipped tongs, char poblanos over open gas flame until charred on all sides, approximately 10 minutes. Alternatively, lightly oil poblanos and broil until charred rotating halfway through.

2.     Transfer charred poblanos to a heavy duty ziplock bag, seal and allow the chiles to steam, approximately 5 – 10 minutes.

3.     Using the back of a knife, the non-blade side, or a dry paper towel, gently scrape away the char and top layer of skin from each poblano.

4.     Laying the poblanos on your cutting board, use a sharp knife to cut a “T” just under the stem across the top and straight down to the bottom of the chile. Using your hands, open the poblano, like a dual fold book, and remove the seeds. I like to run the inside under cold water to help remove all the seeds. Repeat with the remaining poblanos.

To prepare the cheese:

5.     In a medium size bowl, combine oregano and both cheeses tossing with clean dry hands until evenly combined. Stuff each poblano generously with cheese reserving 1/3 cup cheese to garnish.

6.     Transfer each poblano to a 9x13-inch baking dish, and secure each slit with a toothpick. Garnish the top of each with the remaining cheese and place in the preheated 375º oven.

7.     Bake until the cheese has melted both inside and on top, approximately 10 minutes.

8.     Remove from oven and serve alongside your favorite accompaniments including rice and beans.

Kitchen Note: To help with the spice, consider more cheese on top or a large dollop of sour cream or Mexican crema to garnish.