Stuffed poblano peppers has become one of my favorite side dishes because they go well with any main course. Plus, you can stuff the peppers with just about anything. Rice, cous cous, tomatoes or even crab meat.

The last time I decided to stuff some poblano peppers I made Crab Stuffed Poblano Peppers. This recipe was created because I had crab meat on hand and fresh salsa I did not want to go to waste and a few poblano peppers hanging around. My original thought for the crab meat was to make crab imperial (I’ll post that recipe one day) but I decided I wanted a lighter meal on this particular day. Stuffing the peppers with crab meat seemed like the perfect side dish to our lollipop lamb and I was right.

The combination of the crab meat, fresh salsa and cheese tasted great with just a hint of spiciness. If you want more heat don’t remove the rib of the poblano peppers and leave some seeds. As most folks know that is where most of the heat comes from for any hot pepper.

Although I paired the stuffed peppers with lollipop lamb chops, they would also go with a nice Big Salad. Check out the link for a great salad recipe.

Crab Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Ingredients:

4 poblano peppers (seeds and ribs removed)

1 small container of lump crab meat

½ cup fresh hot or mild salsa

¼ cup shredded Queso or Mexican Cheese

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

Juice from ½ a fresh lemon

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slit the top of each poblano pepper half way lengthwise. Set aside.

Combine the crab meat, fresh salsa and seasonings in a large bowl. Add the cheese to the bowl and stir to blend well. Stuff each pepper with a few spoonfuls of the crab mixture. Do not over stuff.

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray then lay the peppers on the baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until the peppers are softened and the cheese is golden brown.