Hot Chile Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 poblano peppers (**see note**)
• 1 (14 ounce) can pinto beans, preferably low-sodium
• 3 tablespoons prepared salsa
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese or 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 slices sourdough bread

Recipe

• 1 place peppers in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle.
• 2 meanwhile, combine beans, salsa and salt in a medium bowl. mash the beans with a fork until they begin to form a paste (some can remain whole). combine cheese, yogurt, scallions and cilantro in a small bowl.
• 3 when the peppers are cool enough to handle, slice each one in half lengthwise and remove the stem and seeds.
• 4 heat a panini maker to high. ***(no panini maker? see stovetop variation, below.)***
• 5 spread 1/3 cup of the bean mixture on each of 4 slices of bread. top with a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture. place 2 pepper halves over the cheese. cover with the remaining slices of bread.
• 6 grill the sandwiches in the panini maker until golden brown and through, about 4 minutes. cut in half and serve immediately.
• 7 (tips & notes).
• 8 **note**: dark green poblano peppers, smaller than a bell pepper but larger than a jalapeño, can be fiery or relatively mild; there’s no way to tell until you taste them. find them near other fresh peppers at most large supermarkets.
• 9 stovetop variation: place four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) by the stove. heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. place 2 sandwiches in the pan. place the medium skillet on top of the sandwiches, then weight it down with the cans. cook the sandwiches until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the sandwiches, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining 2 sandwiches.