Chiles Rellenos de Queso Recipe
Chiles Rellenos de Queso
Roasted Chiles Stuffed with Cheese
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
6 Poblano OR Anaheim Peppers (Chile Poblano
/ Pimienta de Anaheim)
½ Cup White Vinegar (Vinagre Blanco)
½ lb Oaxaca Cheese (Queso Oaxaca) - sliced thin
6 Eggs (Huevos) - separated whites and yolks
5 Tbs All Purpose Flour (Harina Para Toda Uso)
1 tsp Kosher Salt (Sal)
2 ½ Cups Canola Oil (Aceite de Canola) for frying
Sauce:
⅓ Cup Corn Oil (Aceite de Maiz)
1 Medium Onion (Cebolla) - diced
5 cloves Fresh Garlic (Ajo) - minced
⅓ Cup All Purpose Flour (Harina Para Toda Uso)
6 Large Roma Tomatoes (Tamate) - core and seeds removed
1 Jalapeño Pepper (Chile Jalapeño) - stem and seeds removed
2 ½ tsp Kosher Salt (Sal) + to taste
4 Cups Water - can substitute chicken stock if desired
1 ½ tsp Dried Mexican Oregano (Orégano)
¼ tsp Fresh Ground Pepper (Polvo de Pimienta Negra)
⅛ tsp Ground Cinnamon (Canela en Polvo)
⅛ tsp Ground Cloves (Clavo en Polvo)
1 Bay Leaf (Hoja de Laurel)
Preparation:
- Make the Sauce: Heat the corn oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat until shimmering - Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic - Sauté until beginning to caramelize (apx 12 minutes) – Whisk in the flour and continue to cook (stirring constantly) until the color of honey (apx 8 minutes) - Remove from heat
- Place your seeded tomatoes and the jalapeño in the work bowl of a food processor and purée until smooth - Add the onion/flour mixture from step 1 and purée until smooth
- Transfer the purée back to the pan that you cooked the onions in - Add all of the remaining ‘sauce’ ingredients - Increase heat to high and, while constantly whisking, bring to a boil - Once a boil has been achieved, reduce to a simmer - Loosely cover and allow to cook (stirring occasionally) for 50 minutes or until nice and thick - Adjust seasoning with additional salt if desired - Remove from heat and set aside until needed
- Prepare the Chiles Rellenos: Set oven to high broil - Place your chiles on a baking sheet and set directly under the broiler – Allow to cook until the skin ‘pops’ and blackens - Flip and repeat until chiles are nicely charred all over - Transfer to a zip-top bag and seal - Set aside to steam for 3-5 minutes
- While the chiles are steaming, mix the vinegar with 3 ½ Cups of water and 2 Tbs Kosher salt in a large bowl - Heat the canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat to 365°F
- Cut a ‘T’ shaped slit in each chile and hold under gently running water to remove the skins and seeds - Place the skinned chiles in the vinegar mixture
- Beat the egg whites with ¼ tsp salt until stiff peaks form (an electric mixer makes short work of this) - In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with ¼ tsp salt until frothy - Gently fold the yolks into the whites making sure to not over mix keeping it ‘fluffy’
- Remove a chile from the vinegar solution and pat dry – Stuff with a few slices of the cheese - Dust with a bit of flour and coat with the egg mixture (a spatula helps to ‘frost’ the chile) - gently lower the coated chile into the oil and allow to cook until golden on all sides (apx 5 minutes) - Transfer to a draining rig or absorbent paper to drain - Repeat with remaining chiles - NOTE: You can fry up to 3 chiles at a time but do not over crowd the pan - If you are concerned that the chiles will open during frying, you can always pin them shut with a couple of toothpicks before dusting and coating
- Place your sauce over medium heat and, while stirring frequently, bring to a simmer
- Place a large spoonful of the sauce on a plate - Place 1 or 2 chile rellenos on top of the sauce - Serve with a drizzle of crema, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, and salsa of choice alongside Frijoles Refritos (Refried Beans), Frijoles Negros (Black Beans), Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice), and a bit of Ensalada de Col Cruda (Mexican ‘Coleslaw’) or any of your favorites
