Grilled Stuffed Hot Peppers, 2 Ways

This recipe originally comes from a collection of vegan grilled dishes.  For the non-vegans among us, I've included a slightly more traditional, jalapeno-popper-style cheese filling.  Both fillings are delicious, and both also work with non-hot peppers, if you like to stuff and grill those (though where's the challenge in that?).

Jalapeno pepper plant

GRILLED STUFFED HOT PEPPERS 2 WAYS
adapted from Grilling Vegan Style, by John Schlimm, via epicurious.com

makes 12 "poppers"

12 jalapeños

Filling 1:
1 cup cooked white or brown rice
1 cup cooked black beans (canned is fine), drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons smooth or grainy vegan Dijon mustard
1 medium-size clove garlic, peeled and pressed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried thyme

Filling 2:

1 cup coarsely grated Cheddar cheese

1 cup coarsely grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 teaspoon chili powder or paprika

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Hot sauce of choice, for drizzling

Preparation:
Heat the grill to medium-high.
Cut a lengthwise slit from stem to bottom of each chile. Make a crosswise incision at stem end, forming a T.  Pry open enough to hold back long cuts (to expose ribs and seeds), then devein and seed using tip of a paring knife and kitchen shears.  I also recommend rubber gloves -- I always manage to touch my eyes or something after dealing with hot peppers, and it's not fun!

In a medium-size bowl, combine filling ingredients. Stir until well mixed.

With an appropriately sized spoon, fill the jalapeños with the filling of your choice.  Press seams closed so that the filling is compacted and the pepper retains its shape.  Place the peppers on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle the peppers with the olive oil.

Fold the foil into a packet with the peppers in one layer.  If using the cheese filling, be sure to arrange the peppers seam-side up, to minimize burning molten cheese. Grill the packet for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and the filling is hot. Serve at once, drizzled with hot sauce.