Chile Rellenos

Normally, I never, ever deepfry at home. It’s unhealthy, messy, makes my house smell, and I’m scared to do it. But…..we’ve made an exception twice now for these chile rellenos. Yum, yum, yum. That’s about all I can say about them. We made these stuffed only with chihuahua cheese and served alongside tortilla chips and guacamole.

Chile Rellenos
Source: Adapted from Rick Bayless, Authentic Mexican

4 poblano chiles
1 recipe quick-cooked tomato-chile sauce (recipe follows)
canola oil
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 cups chihuahua cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1. Broil the chiles until blackened, then place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let cool and then peel the skin from the chiles. Carefully make a vertical slit in each chile, cutting through one side of the chile from the stem to the bottom. Scrap the seeds loose and under a gentle stream of water, flush the seeds from the chiles. Dry with paper towels.

2. Fill each chile with shredded chihuahua cheese, and seal closed with a toothpick. Dredge each chile in flour, shaking off the excess.

<3. Separate the egg whites and egg yolks into two separate bowls. Mix 1/4 teaspoon of salt into the egg whites and whisk until the egg whites are just stiff enough to hold a gentle peak. Gently mix in the egg yolks one at a time, followed by 1 tablespoon of flour. Stop mixing when the flour is incorporated.

4. Heat 3/4 inch of canola oil to 375 degrees. Holding each chile by its stem, dip into the egg mixture and then drop into the oil. Fry until golden brown on each side, and serve with tomato chile sauce, garnishing with cilantro (the cilantro adds a ton of great flavor – we added on a bunch more once we tried it).

Tomato-Chile Sauce
Source: Rick Bayless, Authentic Mexican

1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, drained
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, peeled and chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt

1. Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, and garlic to a food processor and process until pureed.

2. Heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat, and when hot pour the tomato sauce into the pan. Stir for approximately five minutes as the puree sears into a thicker sauce. Season with salt and remove from the heat.