Chiles rellenos are one of the
best-known dishes served by Mexican restaurants in America.
Mexican
Recipes
Chile Rellenos1 can (7 oz.) California green chilies or 6 to 8 fresh California green
chilies, peeled.
Cheese filling or picadello filling (recipes follow)
About 1/2 cup all-purpose four, un-sifted
Thin and crispy coating, puffy coating, or omelet-like coating
(recipes follow)
Salad Oil
Salsa de jitomate (recipe follows), optional
Garnishes; shredded jack cheese, sliced green onion tops, or Mexican
red chile sauce.
Chiles rellenos or "stuffed peppers" are one of the best-known dishes
served by Mexican restaurants in America. Usually theyl are stuffed with
cheese to make chilies rellenos con queso. With this recipe you can make
the cheese version or another kind, chilies rellenos con picadillo
(peppers stuffed with a spicy ground beef mixture called picadillo).
To make chilies rellenos, you stuff the peppers, cover them with an egg
batter, and fry. Here you have a choice of three batters for three
different kinds of coatings--thin and crispy, puffy, or omelet-like.
Drain canned chilies and cut a slit down side of each; gently remove
seeds and pith. Prepare fresh chilies, if used.
Stuff chilies with th filling of your choice. Slightly lap cut edges
to hold filling inside. Roll each chile in flour to coat all over;
gently shake off excess.
Prepare one of the suggested coatings just before you want to fry
chilies. coat and fry chilies according to instructions with each coating
recipe.
If you like, top with hot salsa de jitomate and garnish with cheese
and onion; or use Mexican red chile sauce. (Some prefer chilies rellenos
without sauce, particularly the thin, crispy coated chile.) Serve
immediately. Makes 3 or 4 servings.
Chile relleno fillings
Cheese filling.
Stuff each chile with a piece of jack cheese about 1/2 inch wide,
1/2 inch thick, and 1 inch shorter than the chile. (Use a total of about
1/2 pound of jack cheese)
Picadillo filling.
Lightly toast 1/4 cup slivered almonds in 1 tablespoon butter or
margarine in a frying pan over medium heat; remove almonds. Brown 1/2
pound lean ground beef in remaining butter. Add 1 minced or pressed
clove garlic, 1/4 cup tomato puree, 1/4 cup seedless raisins, 2
tablespoons dry sherry, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt,
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar,
and the almonds. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 20 minutes or
until most liquid has evaporated. Cool. Fill each chile with about 2
teaspoons of filling.
Thin and crispy coating.
Separate 5 eggs. Beat egg whites with 1 teaspoon salt until they
hold firm, soft peaks. Using same beater, or a whip, beat egg yolks
until thick; fold yolks into whites and use immediately.\
Heat about 1/4 inch salad oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat.
coat chili all over with egg batter and use two forks to remove from
batter. (If fresh chiles are used, hold each by its stem and just dip
into batter, canned chilies have no such handy stems.)
Fry in hot oil just as many at one time as can be done without
crowding. When each is golden brown on one side, turn over with a
spatula and fork or two spatulas) and fry until golden on the other
side. Remove and drain briefly on paper towels.
Puffy coating.
Separate 3 eggs. Beat whites until they form soft peaks. Beat yolks
with 1 tablespoon water, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and 1/4
teaspoon salt until thick and creamy; fold into whites.
Heat about 1-1/2 inches of salad oil in a wide frying pan over medium
heat. Dip stuffed chilies into the fluffy batter, place on a saucer, and
slide lint hot oil. When bottoms are golden brown, gently turn using a
spatula and fork, and cook other side (3 to 4 minutes per side). Drain
on paper towels.
Omelet-like coating.
Separate 4 eggs. Beat whites until they form soft peaks. Beat egg
yolks with 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon water, and 1/4
teaspoon salt. Fold into whites.
Over medium heat, melt enough butter to coat bottom of omelet pan or
frying pan. Make an oval mound of about 1/2cup of the mixture. (You can
cook each in a small omelet pan or 2 or 3 at a time in a wide frying
pan.) Quickly lay a stuffed chile in center of mound and spoon about 1/3
cup mixture over top to encase chili. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes; gently
turn and cook for 2 or 3 minutes longer, or until golden.
Salsa de jitomate.
In a frying pan over medium heat, cook 3 tablespoons finely chopped
onion and 1 minced or pressed clove of garlic in 1 tablespoon butter or
margarine until golden. Stir in 1 can (15 oz.) Spanish-style tomato
sauce, 1/3 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon oregano
leaves, crumbled. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Serve hot. Makes
2-1/2 cups. |