Chile Rellenos

Over the last decade I've strived to master my stepfather's recipe for authentic chile rellenos. The filling shown is strictly cheese, though my wife and I often experiement with different ingredients. A more healthy filling uses 1 part cheese and 1 part soft tofu. You can also add chopped red peppers, onions and salt. For more photos of the process, check out my gallery post Chile Rellenos Autentico.

4 poblano chiles (or Anaheim)
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 Tbs. flour
5 egg whites
1-2 egg yolks
2 cups canola oil

Roast the chiles on an open grill or in the broiler until the skins blister. Then place the chiles in a paper bag for 15 minutes to steam; this makes it a lot easier to peel off the skin. Remove the chile tops and seeds (the more seeds the spicier ).

Stuff the chiles with the cheese, then roll them in the flour.

In a mixing bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, then fold in one or two egg yolks. I never really measure, just aim for an even light yellow color.

Deep frying the chile takes practice but I've come up with a technique that is relatively fool proof. Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop a dollop of batter into the hot oil, then quickly place a chile on top. Add a second dollop to cover the chile--it should now be well-coated. Cook the chile, turning, until all sides are golden brown. Remove from the skillet and place the finished relleno on a stack of paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining chiles and batter.

We serve these buffet-style with a plate of corn or flour tortillas, refried beans, sour cream, salsa, and diced tomatoes.

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Rummour writes: Since I grew up in Newfoundland and spent most of my life in New England I never had the chance to enjoy real Mexican style food until a few years ago on a visit to Santa Fe and last spring to southern New Mexico. One of my favourite foods was chile rellenos. thanks for posting the recipe. I will give them a try. Posted: 10:51 am on October 15th

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