Fire Roasted Poblano Chilies filled with Corn, Quinoa, & Goat Cheese

October 1, 2013 · Last Updated on August 6, 2020 By Anjali Shah on· Last Updated on

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A couple of weeks ago, the husband and I had dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in SF: Greens Restaurant.

We love Greens because of their focus on local, organic produce, and the fact that they’re 100% vegetarian (which you wouldn’t guess by the heartiness of their dishes!) We also love it because of their location – overlooking the SF marina with views of the Golden Gate bridge. This was the view from our table:

Not bad, right? 🙂

I was able to meet Chef Annie Somerville before our dinner and chat with her about the history of the restaurant, her cooking philosophy, and I was able to snag a recipe from her (which is the recipe I’m sharing today!)

The thing that struck me most about Chef Annie was how humble, warm, and friendly she was. While she’s the Executive Chef of one of the most famous restaurants in SF, she doesn’t have any airs about her (in a great way). Her philosophy is truly just to elevate vegetables and show them off in Greens’ menu items. She has an extremely collaborative kitchen where anyone can suggest a new recipe (no traditional hierarchies here!) She’s been with Greens for a little over 30 years, and still shops every morning at the local farmer’s markets to buy the ingredients for that day’s dishes.

The husband and I truly appreciated the time she took to spend with us, and we noticed that her comforting, warm personality really came through in the food. And before I share this amazing recipe for the Fire Roasted Stuffed Poblano Chiles, I have to highlight some of the other dishes we ate!

A corn and coconut Thai spiced soup to start..

Followed by a Wilted spinach salad with DeVoto Mutsu apples, golden and chioggia beets, walnuts, Big Rock Blue, mint, sherry vinegar and hot olive oil.

Then we enjoyed these gorgeous masa crepes stuffed with fresh veggies, and served with a hearty bean stew.

And finally, this Eggplant and summer squash gratin with peppers, leeks, tomatoes, Wagon Wheel, pesto and fromage blanc custard. Served with San Marzano tomato sauce, grilled polenta, summer beans with pine nuts, shallots and pepper flakes.

The husband and I both have huge sweet tooths, so we couldn’t pass up this Flourless chocolate torte with salted caramel ice cream and cocoa nibs…

… Or this Strawberry almond cake with candied almonds and strawberry sorbet!

All of the food was unique and delicious, and I wouldn’t have expected anything less! These fire roasted chilies are no different.

The smoky heat of poblano chilies make them ideal for stuffing. The best way to grill them is directly over an open flame until their skins blister and char, and then let them steam in their own heat, so they’re easy to peel.

The corn filling is seasoned with a Chipotle Puree, and the rustic, Fire-Roasted Salsa has a taste that’s smoky and rich. For the salsa, the plum tomatoes roasted to perfection – their firm, dense flesh keeps the salsa from being watery—and cilantro and lime juice keep the flavors bright.

This dish is definitely more time intensive than most of my recipes, but it is so, so worth it! It’s perfect for a special occasion or a dinner party – or even on a night you have a bit more time to spend in the kitchen. The husband and I both love this recipe because of its heartiness. I promise it will please vegetarians and meat-eaters alike!