1 lb pork mince
1/2 tsp cumin
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
1 tsp white sugar
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
2 roasted Hatch™ chili's roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 - 2 tsp lime or lemon juice
Stuffed Chile:
4 large Hatch™ chile peppers
Oil
Salt and pepper
Grated cheese cheddar, Monterey jack or pepper jack
Cilantro Yogurt Sauce:
⅓ cup cilantro stalks with the leaves, loosely packed
⅔ cup greek yogurt or sour cream
2-3 tsp lime or lemon juice more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Pork Filling (can be made ahead of time): Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add about 1 tbsp oil and when the oil is hot, add the minced pork along with all the spices (everything except for chili's and lime juice). Cook over medium high heat while separating the meat and mixing in the spices. When the pork has cooked through, add the chopped roasted chili's, lime juice and season to taste. Stir to mix and heat through. Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Cilantro Yogurt Sauce: Place the cilantro, yogurt, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small food processor. Process until the cilantro is mixed well with the yogurt. Season to taste if needed. Keep in the fridge until needed. Stuffed Chili's: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil (or line) an oven-proof dish with some olive oil. Wash and dry the chili's. Cut a "window" in the chile using a sharp knife and remove the seeds and white pith. Stuff the chili's with cooked pork mince. Place the stuffed chiles in the prepared oven-proof dish. Brush the chile peppers with some oil and sprinkle the salt over the peppers. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the chile peppers have softened and the pork is starting to caramelize. Sprinkle cheese over the openings on the peppers to cover the pork and return to the oven to roast for a further 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let it rest for just a few minutes. Serve while hot with the cilantro yogurt sauce drizzled on top, cracked pepper and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!