Stuffed Ancho Chiles with Savory Beef and Cheese Filling

1Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

2Rinse the ancho chiles (6 large) under cold water (½ cup) to remove any dust. Carefully make a slit down one side of each chile and remove the seeds and membranes. Be gentle to keep the chiles intact.

3In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil (2 tbsp) over medium heat. Add the chopped onion (1 medium) and minced garlic (2 cloves), and sauté until the onion (1 medium) is translucent, about 5 minutes.

4Add the ground beef (1 lb) to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks, about 7-10 minutes.

5Stir in the ground cumin (1 tsp), ground oregano (1 tsp), ground cinnamon (½ tsp), ground black pepper (½ tsp), and salt (½ tsp). Cook for another 2 minutes to let the spices bloom.

6Add the cooked rice (1 cup), tomato sauce (½ cup), and chopped cilantro to the beef mixture. Stir well to combine and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.

7Carefully stuff each ancho chile with the beef and rice mixture, being careful not to overfill them. Place the stuffed chiles in a baking dish.

8Pour 1/2 cup of water (½ cup) into the bottom of the baking dish to help steam the chiles as they bake.

9Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the stuffed chiles.

10Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

11Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the chiles cool for a few minutes before serving.