Recipe#12559

Title: Chiles Rellenos 07

From: maxheadroom@clo.com (Max Headroom) 
 Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 Subject: Chiles Rellenos 
 Date: 20 Mar 1997 22:01:39 -0700 
 Message-ID: <332f5f25.4360111@clo.com> 

Note: Chiles Rellenos or "stuffed peppers" are one of the best-known
 dishes served by Mexican restaurants in America  Usually they are
 stuffed with cheese to make Chiles Rellenos con Queso, but in Mexico
 many kinds of meat, seafood, and bean fillings also are used.
 I've been making this for years, and everyone loves it.
 To make Chiles Rellanos, you stuff the peppers, cover them with an egg
 batter, and fry.
 Ingredients:
 1 can (7 oz) California green chiles or 6-8 fresh California green
 chiles, (peeled according to directions at bottom of page)
 Cheese Filling (recipe follows)
 About 1/2 cup flour
 Egg Coating (recipe follows)
 Salad oil for frying
 Salsa de Jitomate (recipe follows)
 extra grated cheese
 Procedure:
 Drain canned chiles and cut a slit down the side of each; gently
 remove seeds and pith inside. OR prepare fresh chiles according to
 directions at bottom of page.
 Stuff chiles with cheese filling; slightly lap the cut edges to hold
 the filling inside.  have flour ready in a shallow pan.  Roll each
 stuffed chile in flour to coat all over, gently shake off excess.
 Prepare the egg coating (batter) just before you are going to fry the
 chiles.  Coat and fry the chiles according to the directions found
 with the egg coating recipe.
 Place hot cooked chiles rellanos on a plater.  To serve top each one
 with a couple of tablespoons of Salsa de Jitomate (salsa) and then a
 handful of grated cheese.  Microwave for 20 seconds to melt cheese.
 Serve.
 Makes 3-4 servings
 Cheese Filling:  Use 1/2 lb of jack cheese or munster.  Just stuff
 each chile with a piece of cheese about 1/2 inch wide and 1/2 inch
 thick, and about 1 inch shorter than the chile.
 Also Grate about 1/2 lb of jack cheese for the topping.
 Egg Coating:  Separate 3 eggs, placing the egg whites in a medium size
 clean bowl, and the egg yolks in a separate bowl.
 Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form soft peaks.
 Beat egg whites with 1 tablespoon of water and 3 tablespoons of flour
 and 1/2 tsp salt until thick and creamy.  Gently fold into the egg
 whites.
 To cook:
 Heat about 1-1/2 inches of oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat.
 Place about 2 tablespoons of the batter on a small plate. Place one
 stuffed chiles into the fluffy batter and top with a tablespoon of
 batter. smooth to coat chile.  Gently slide into the hot oil, making
 sure the chile is covered on the top with the batter. I ususally put 2
 or 3 in the skillet at the same time.
 Splash a bit of the hot grease on top of the batter  on top of each
 chile in the skillet to cook the top a little while the bottom browns.
 Turn the chiles over with a pancake turner to cook the other side.
 cook about 3-4 minutes per side.  (They cook fast).  Drain on paper
 towels. Then place on platter. then serve on plates.
 The topping:
 Salsa de Jitomate (tomato sauce)
 Saute 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion and 1 minced clove of garlic
 in 1 tablespoon butter until golden.  Stir in 1 can (15 oz) of spanish
 style tomato sauce (or stewed tomatoes that have been run through the
 blender or food processor), 1/3 cup water, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp
 crumbled oregano.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Serve hot on top of chiles.
 Makes 2-1/2 cups
 Alternate Salsa (this one also good for dipping with chips)
 Tomato and Green Chile Sauce
 6 medium-size tomatoes
 1/2 cup thinly sliced or chopped California green chiles (seeds
 removed)
 1/3 cup minced onion
 1 tsp salt
 1-2 minces jalapeno chiles (to taste)
 Chop up the tomatoes in a food processer.  Add remaining ingredients
 and serve. Make 3 cups salsa.
 TO PEEL Fresh California Green Chiles:
 Wash chiles, wipe dry and arrange on a broiler rack, close together.
 Preheat broiler unit and put rack underneath so that the top of the
 chiles is about 1 inch below the heat unit.  Turn chiles frequently
 until blistered and lightly browned all over (but not limp).  Watch
 closely.  As each chile is done, drop it into a plastic bag.
 When all are blistered, close bag and let stand until cool enough to
 handle (about 5-10 minutes). Remove one chile at a time, and peel by
 using a sharp paring knife to catch the skin and pull it gently away.
 Catch the skin wherever it appears loosest; the peel will come off in
 several uneven pieces.  Be careful not to tear the chiles  too much if
 you need them whole to stuff.  If a piece of peel refuses to come off
 easily, leave it on.
 Then lay each chile flat and cut a lengthwise slit in one side to
 within about 1/4 inch of the stemmed top.  Carefully reach in with a
 spoon and remove all the seeds, white core and pith.
 You can peel chiles a day ahead of when you need to use them; just
 wrap in clear plastic wrap and fefrigerate.  Chiles freeze well too,
 and keep as long as 9 months if at 0 degrees or colder.
 (Note: Ordinary bell peppers can be peeled this same way.)
 NOTE:  California Green Chiles (Anaheim) are about 5-8 inches long and
 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter at the top, tapering to a point.  Fresh
 ones are usually bright, shiny green (not pale).  When canned, they
 are soft and a moss green colour.  Sometimes some mature ones which
 have turned red are sold fresh in the fall.
 The flavour of the California green chiles ranges from mild and sweet
 like a bell pepper, to mildy hot (but generally not hot).
 If you are buying canned "whole chiles" or "diced chiles" or "green
 chiles" in the grocery store they will be California green chiles even
 if it doesn't say so on the can.
 Happy cooking from Lady Teri
 ladyteri@geocities.com