Chiles Rellenos

18 years ago

Someone at the Hot Pepper Forum requested an "easy" recipe for chiles rellenos. I wrote up mine (based on Diana Kennedy's) which is authentic, good and about as easy as possible. It does not include instructions for roasting and peeling chiles or making picadillo or tomato sauce. If you need those, twist my arm and I will probably oblige.

My apologies if this subject has been well covered. I'm sort of new here.

This is the way I have always made chiles rellenos. Being from Diana Kennedy, you can be sure it is good. The cheese stuffed chiles are about as easy as a recipe for chiles rellenos can be. It's a little scary on first try, but not complicated at all. I have not made the picadillo ones, which would not be hard, but require many ingredients and more preparation.

For Six Chiles Rellenos:

Roast and peel 6 large green chiles.

Separate 4 eggs.

Beat egg whites stiff but not too dry.

Add salt and yolks, one at a time, mixing well into the whites.

Slit and stuff each chile with several thin strips of mild melting cheese (cheddar, jack, mozzarella).

Pat the chiles dry with paper towels.

Coat the chiles lightly with flour.

Coat the chiles with beaten egg mixture.

Slide chiles into hot cooking oil (3/4 inch deep).

Turn chiles occasionally and spoon extra egg mixture over the chiles to patch any holes. Cook until egg coating is golden all over.

Serve on plates which have been covered with a smooth, well seasoned tomato sauce.

Note 1 - Roasted, peeled chiles will have holes and tears. Don't worry. Just handle gently as best you can. The egg coating will seal it all up eventually.

Note 2 - You may substitute picadillo (chopped, spicy meat mixture) for the cheese.

Jim

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Comments (9)

User
18 years ago
Jim, your recipe sounds similar to the one I have been making for many years.
I beat a little flour into the egg yolks before folding in the egg whites.

At one time it was hard to find fresh poblano chiles or Anaheim Chiles in Canada so I always used whole canned chilies.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Chiles Rellenos
===============
I have been making Chiles Rellenos for about 30 years. I have never had an actual recipe. I just watch someone I knew (from Texas) make them and have been making this way ever since.

I guess now is as good a time as any to put it down on paper.

1 or 2 cans whole chili peppers (usually 3 or 4 in a can)
Monteray jack cheese
2 or 3 eggs separated
1 tablespoon flour
salt and pepper

oil for frying

Sauce.

canned tomatoes
onions
garlic
cayenne pepper
canned of chopped chiles
chicken broth
.

Cut cheese into finger size pieces.

Carefully shove the cheese stick into a pepper being careful not to
split it.

Heat about 1 inch of oil in frying pan.

Beat the egg whites until medium stiff peaks form. do not overbeat.

Beat egg yolks with salt, pepper and the tablespoon on flour.

Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.

Dip the pepper stuffed with cheese into flour and then into the egg
mixture. Carefully add to the oil. If needed, spoon a bit of the egg
mixture on top of the pepper while in the pan. (these fry quickly),
flip over and fry other side. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Continue cooking until all of the peppers are cooked.

Make sauce by sauting the onions and garlic, add the chopped tomatoes
and season with the chiles, salt and pepper. Add some chicken broth and
simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve Chili Relleno with sauce on the side OR Place the fried chile
rellenos in a casserole dish and pour the sauce over them. Bake in a
350 oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
jimster
Original Author
18 years ago
"Jim, your recipe sounds similar to the one I have been making for many years."

LOL! They could hardly be more similar, right down to the "do not over beat" and "If needed, spoon a bit of the egg
mixture on top of the pepper while in the pan." I can tell that you are experienced in making these.

Chiles rellenos are a great favorite of mine. The one in your photo is classic and makes my mouth water.

I am growing Poblano chiles, which are doing very well (waist high and bushy) but have not set many pods yet. I expect they will produce well (lots of flower buds are encouraging) and then I will luxuriate in chiles rellenos.

Have you not made the picadillo version either? I'm thinking it's time I should. But the cheese version is so easy and good. :>)

Jim
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rachelellen
18 years ago
My problem is that there is a restaurant here in town that has the best rellenos I've ever tasted, which leaves me disappointed whenever I try to make them, though my husband says mine are really good. Somehow, they manage to get the coating on the pepper without even a little doughiness. They're almost delicate, as opposed to the heartier ones you get in most restaurants.

If it wouldn't be unfair, I'd get a job there just long enough to see the cook making them! :D
mustangs81
18 years ago
Okay, I know what I'm having for dinner!

Chiles Rellenos is my absolute favorite Mexican dish but I've never attempted to make them. I have made CR casserole but it's just not the same.
User
18 years ago
Rachelellen, we have the opposite problem. I have to make them here. Neither Moe or Matthew ever orders Chiles Rellenos in a restaurant because they are always disappointed. I wish we lived in Texas or New Mexico or even California where good Mexican can be found. No so in most of Canada.

Ann
lyndaluu2
18 years ago
Ann your recipe sounds so simple and the picture is great...

I'll be making some of these this weekend!!

Linda
jimster
Original Author
18 years ago
"Somehow, they manage to get the coating on the pepper without even a little doughiness."

Do you use flour in the batter coating? If so, try it without the flour. Lightly coat the stuffed chiles with flour, then coat with flourless beaten egg. I think you will find it to be light and fluffy.

Jim
gardenguru1950
18 years ago
I have copied and pasted Ann T's recipe WITH PHOTO. I will use it in my Epicurean Kitchen Garden class and not give Ann credit for the absolutely EXCELLENT photo. Just kidding, of course.

My rellenos recipes is almost identical as well. The only differences are that I use a large pasilla type pepper (including poblanos; well roasted and peeled) and I use chihuahua or oaxaca cheese.

When I'm feeling decadent, I'll stuff the rellenos with a shrimp-cheese or crab-cheese combination.

Joe
wannadanc
18 years ago
Off to the wrong start, I think!

Years ago, I had my first CR - and fell in love. THAT became the default value for CR - and nothing since can hold a candle. I didn't have sense enough to investigate, I just always thought I could go "there" for the good ones. Well, that was 30 years ago - and "there" is no more. Equally, in reading your recipes, I realize that the guiding light for me was the "sauce". That was what was alluring to me, and that is what has never been replicated. How strange.

I need to become a CR virgin and start over again - reset the default parameters!

Chiles Rellenos

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Chiles Rellenos

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