Crab-stuffed Chillies

From 'Mexico The Cookbook' by Margarita Carrillo Arronte

These chillies are absolutely bursting with seafood flavours!

Ingredients:

• 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small carrot, diced
• ½ leek, finely chopped
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• ½-1 habanero chilli, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 400g crab meat
• 300g fresh clams (optional)
• 120ml dry white wine
• 2 tsp capers, chopped
• 4 tbsp butter, diced
• 6 poblano chillies, dry roasted
• Salt and pepper
  • To Serve
• Epazote, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• White rice

Recipe:

1. Put the tomatoes in a blender. Process until smooth, strain, and then set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the carrots, leek, onion, habanero chilli, garlic, and pureed tomatoes, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until it dries out a little.
3. Add the crabmeat and clams (if using), then pour in the wine and reduce for 10 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped capers.
5. Add the butter pieces and just tilt the pan around slowly to melt the butter and incorporate itself into the ingredients.
   1. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Peel the poblano chillies and then split them down one side, leaving the stem intact and making sure you don’t go all the through.
7. Carefully open up the chillies, remove the membranes and seeds, and fill them with the stuffing.
   1. This is most easily done with wet hands, so keep a bowl of water on hand and keep dipping your working hand in it while you clean and stuff.
8. Put the chillies on a serving plate, sprinkle with epazote and a little oil, and serve with white rice.