Terre Rouge Winery Corn and Shrimp Stuffed Chiles with Warm Tomato Salsa

Source: Chef Jane O'Riordan, Terre Rouge Winery

Stuffed Chiles:
6 Pasilla chiles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 Anaheim pepper, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, minced
1/2 red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chile
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked bay shrimp
1 cup cooked long grain rice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup queso fresco, crumbled

Tomato Salsa:
1 can chopped tomatoes in juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chile
Dash of salt

Roast the Pasilla chiles on a grill or in the oven until blackened. Place in a plastic bag and let sweat for 10 minutes. Remove the skin, slit the peppers open and remove the stem and all seeds. Set aside.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil and add the corn, peppers, onion and garlic. Cook for five minutes over medium heat. Add the spices and cook for another five minutes. Add the shrimp and cook briefly. Turn off the heat and add the rice and cilantro. Mix well. Let cool five minutes and add the crumbled cheese.

Place all ingredients for tomato salsa in a small saucepan. Crush tomatoes with a potato masher. Simmer for 20 minutes and keep warm.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Choose a baking dish large enough to hold the six peppers. Stuff each chile with the corn mixture so that the chile is overstuffed and the slit sides of the chile are gaping. Place each chile in the baking dish with the open side up. Cover with foil and heat until hot through and the cheese is melted, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve on a plate surrounded by the warm tomato salsa.