Chile Rellenos
Chile rellenos are made with poblanos, a mild and grassy, relatively thin-skinned green pepper that's stuffed with cheese and deep fried. Use larger chiles when you make this recipe; the larger the chile, the easier it will be to deseed and stuff with filling. Give them a good char first, on a gas burner or under the broiler, to take the tougher skin off, impart some smoky flavor, and make the peppers flexible and easier to stuff.
If you want to choose a Mexican cheese we recommend Oaxaca cheese, a mild cow's milk cheese that melts easily. If you can't find Oaxaca then feel free to use Monterrey jack, cheddar, colby, or any other meltable, mild cheese. When you first make this dish, take your time stuffing the pepper and dredging it in the batter, since you don't want to dislodge the stuffing and have the cheese fall out. And be careful not to overload your pan when you fry them. Too many cool products in hot oil can drop the oil's temperature, so they chiles will take longer to cook and can turn oily and soggy.
Serve this with Spanish or Spinach Rice and a side of Roasted Tomato Salsa.
- 6 Poblano Chiles
- 12 ounces Oaxaca cheese, crumbled or grated
- 1 Tablespoon Mexican Oregano
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon Pollo Asado Seasoning
- 3 large eggs, separated into 3 whites and 1 yolk, at room temperature - you can freeze remaining yolks for future use
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Roasted Garlic and Chipotle Sauce for serving
- Place chiles under broiler and char the skins until black and crispy. Place in a bowl or a zip lock bag and seal. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Gently remove skins from chiles with a paper towel. Its fine if there are a few flecks of skin left. Using a paring knife, split chiles about 3/4 of the way and use a teaspoon to scoop out any seeds and membranes. Repeat with all the chiles.
- Prepare cheese filling. In a small bowl, combine cheese, Mexican Oregano and salt and pepper to taste. On a sheet pan or a baking dish, combine the flour and Pollo Asado Seasoning. Set aside.
- Fill each chile with ¼ cup of the cheese mixture. Fold the sides over the filling, then thread 2 tooth picks across the seam, near the top of the chile, to make an "x". Make another tooth pick "x" to place below the first one, which should secure each chile so the cheese doesn’t leak out during frying.
- Beat 3 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add 1 egg yolk and beat for 3 minutes. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a pan, to 375°F.
- Dredge chile in flour, and then in egg batter. Set on a waiting tray. Repeat until all chiles are coated with flour and egg batter.
- Place chiles in oil; don't fry more than two at a time, so the temperature of the oil doesn't drop too much. Fry until golden brown on one side. Flip with tongs and fry the other side. Place on paper towel to drain.
- Serve immediately with Roasted Garlic and Chipotle Sauce.
