Chilesrellenos Recipes

CHILE RELLENO RECIPE

Steps:

• Roast the peppers: Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place poblano peppers on top. Set your oven rack directly underneath the broiler and turn the broiler on.
• Broil poblanos for 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Carefully flip them over and broil for another 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered.
• Remove them from the oven and loosely cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep in some of the heat and help them steam. Let them sit for 5 minutes.
• Peel the peppers: Peel and rub off as much of the loose skin on the peppers as possible. It doesn't have to be perfect, just as much as you can.
• Cut a small slit down the middle of the peppers with a knife. (If you don't want the peppers too spicy, you can remove some of the seeds. I like to leave them in as poblanos aren't typically super spicy to me, but that's personal preference.)
• Stuff the peppers: Carefully stuff the peppers with the cheese. Some of the peppers will be extra fragile because of the roasting process and may tear - that's okay. Just do the best you can.
• Gently close the opening of the peppers and secure it shut with 1-3 toothpicks. Use as many as you need to ensure that the cheese won't ooze out during the frying process. Set aside.
• Prepare for frying: Heat the oil frying oil in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. While oil is heating up, prepare the batter.
• Make the batter: Separate the egg whites from the yolks into two separate bowls - the whites into a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a small bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• While continuing to beat the egg whites on low, add in the egg yolks one at a time until all of them are fully mixed in. The batter should be light, fluffy and smooth.
• Coat the peppers with batter: Place the flour and salt into a separate shallow bowl or plate. Mix together to combine. Gently roll the stuffed peppers in the flour mixture, then give them a gentle tap to remove any excess. Then dip them in the egg batter and gently place them in the hot frying oil.
• Fry the chile rellenos: Fry the peppers for 3-5 minutes per side, until the batter is golden brown and crispy. Try not to overcrowd the peppers in the pan - I usually fry 2 at a time depending on the pan I'm using.
• Transfer the peppers to the lined baking sheet to drain off any excess oil.
• Serve: Immediately serve chile rellenos on a plate with some salsa, freshly chopped cilantro and some cotija cheese. (Don't forget to remove the toothpicks when you first cut into the peppers! You can try to remove them before serving onto plates, but I find it easier to remove them when you first cut into them.)
• Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro and salt to a blender. Puree until smooth.
• Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add blended salsa and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes. Remove from heat, taste and season with more salt if desired.

REAL CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack at about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place the peppers onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Cook under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, 8 to 10 minutes per side. When the peppers are about 80 percent blackened, place them a plastic bag, seal, and allow the peppers to steam as they cool, about 20 minutes. Once cool, remove the skins and discard. Cut a slit lengthwise into the side of each pepper, and remove seeds and veins. To reduce spiciness, rinse out any remaining seeds with water. Pat the peppers dry with paper towels.
• Mix together the shredded mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and Cheddar cheese in a bowl until thoroughly blended. Divide the cheese into 4 portions, and squeeze each portion lightly in your hands to make a cone shape. Insert a cone into the slit in each pepper, and pin the openings closed with toothpicks. Dredge each pepper in flour, dust off the excess, and place on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. Place the peppers in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
• To make sauce, blend the stewed tomatoes in a blender until pureed, and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook and stir for about 30 seconds, and pour in the pureed tomatoes, chicken broth, vinegar, oregano, cumin, black pepper, hot pepper sauce, and cinnamon. Reduce to medium-low, and simmer the sauce until reduced by half and thickened, about 20 minutes, stirring often.
• Preheat an oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C), and warm a platter in the oven.
• To make batter and finish the chiles rellenos, mix 1/3 cup flour with salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until the whites form stiff peaks. Lightly mix the egg yolk and flour-salt mixture into the egg whites to make a fluffy batter. Remove peppers from freezer and coat them in flour again; shake off excess flour, and dip each pepper into the egg batter, using a spoon to gently but completely coat each pepper with batter.
• Heat frying oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Gently lay the coated peppers into the hot oil, and fry on both sides until the batter is golden brown and the cheese filling is hot, about 5 minutes per side. Remove peppers to warmed platter while you finish frying. To serve, ladle a generous spoonful of sauce onto plate, and place pepper on sauce. Serve peppers hot with a dollop of sour cream.

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CHILI RELLENOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack at about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place peppers onto the prepared baking sheet, and cook under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, about 10 minutes. Turn the peppers often to blacken all sides. Place the blackened peppers into a bowl, and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam as they cool, about 15 minutes.
• Rinse cooled peppers under cold water to peel off the skins, and cut a slit along the long side of each pepper to remove the seeds and core. Rinse the peppers inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the peppers with strips of the cheese.
• Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with the baking powder. In a second metal bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until the whites form stiff peaks. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture. Place flour into a shallow bowl.
• Heat the vegetable shortening in a skillet over medium heat. Roll each stuffed pepper in flour, tap off excess flour, and dip the peppers into the egg mixture to coat both sides. Gently lay the coated peppers into the hot shortening. Fry peppers until lightly golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes per side.

CHILE RELLENO

Steps:

• Rice and beans, for serving, if desired
• Heat grill to medium.
• Grill and char the chiles on both sides. Once blackened put in a plastic bag for 10 minutes to sweat out any moisture. Remove from the bag, slit them down the middle and remove the seeds. Stuff the peppers with the queso fresco and use toothpicks to hold them together.
• Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Add the egg whites to a large bowl. Reserve the egg yolks. Beat the egg whites with an electric beater until the whites fluff up. Add in the flour and the egg yolks and mix until completely incorporated.
• Add the oil to a frying pan over medium heat. Dip the stuffed peppers into the batter and fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the oil to a serving platter.
• Add the tomatoes and water to a small pot over medium heat. Simmer the tomatoes until soft and stir in the garlic and chicken broth powder.
• Add the 1/4 cup of oil to a frying pan, over low heat, and stir in the flour to make a roux mixture. Cook the flour until browned, then add the tomato sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes and then add the oregano.
• Pour the tomato sauce over the cooked chile rellenos on the serving platter and serve.
• If desired, serve with rice and beans.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Place the peppers on a baking sheet and broil until the skin is blistered and charred, turning to cook on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Place the charred peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to cool for at least 10 minutes. Once cool, remove the skin easily with your hands.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. In a small bowl, mix 2 egg yolks with 1 tablespoon flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. (Reserve 2 remaining yolks for another use.). Place the remaining flour on a small plate. Mix one-third of the egg whites into the egg yolks, and then gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the remaining egg whites just until incorporated. In a third bowl, mix together the cheese and corn.
• Remove the seeds from the peppers by slicing them open along one side. Slice about two-thirds the length of the pepper, just long enough to remove the seeds with a small spoon. Stuff the peppers with the cheese mixture, squeezing the cheese gently so that it stays together.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Gently roll the peppers in the flour. (If the cheese and peppers are too warm and are falling apart, place in the freezer for 10 minutes). Coat the peppers in the egg batter by dunking and spooning the batter all around. Lift the pepper, and gently spoon off any excess batter hanging from the bottom. Place in the hot oil and fry until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Serve with Chile Relleno Tomato Sauce.
• Add the olive oil to a medium saute pan over medium heat. Then add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, cayenne and garlic, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute longer. Add the chicken stock and the tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool a few minutes. Mix in the blender for 10 seconds (the sauce will not be smooth). Add the cilantro, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and pulse just to blend.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack directly underneath the broiler and preheat the broiler.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the Mexican crema, hot sauce, lime zest and juice and salt to taste; stir to combine. Set aside to let the flavors meld together.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chorizo and onions, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside until ready to stuff the roasted poblanos.
• Place the poblanos on a baking sheet and broil, turning once, until the skin is blistered and blackened, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Put the charred poblanos in a medium heatproof bowl, then cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel and rub away the skins of the poblanos, then gently dry using a paper towel. Cut a 2-inch lengthwise slit in the center of each poblano and carefully cut out the seeds with kitchen shears, leaving the stems intact.
• Stuff each poblano with the chorizo and cheese, dividing evenly. Gently close the opening using 2 to 3 toothpicks to keep the filling from falling out.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 375 degrees F. Position a wire rack on a baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until medium peaks form. With the mixer on low, add the egg yolks and 1 tablespoon flour and mix until completely incorporated. The batter should be smooth and fluffy.
• Sprinkle the poblanos with salt, then dredge in the remaining 1/2 cup flour, tapping to shake off any excess; dip into the batter until fully coated. Gently add the poblano to the hot oil and fry in batches to not overcrowd the skillet. Cook until golden brown and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the wire rack to drain. Serve warm on a platter and drizzle with the spicy lime crema and a side of yellow rice, if using.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• In large bowl combine Manchego, Panela and Anejo cheeses. Set aside. Working on a towel-lined counter, spread open 1 chile at a time. Mold 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture in your hands to form a compact torpedo-shaped log and place inside the chile. Roll the flesh to entirely enclose the cheese, using the towel to help shape a tight roll. Place on a platter and stuff the remaining chiles. (They can now be reserved for up to 2 days, well covered, in the refrigerator.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread flour on a platter. Beat the eggs with the salt and pepper in a bowl wide enough for dipping. In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet heat oil over a medium-high heat. Dip 3 chiles at a time in the flour, patting off the excess so just a fine even coating remains. Then dip chiles into the eggs. Test the oil by dropping a bit of egg. If it sizzles immediately and rises to the surface, the oil is ready. Dip the chiles, 1 at a time, into the oil, putting an extra dollop of egg batter on each. Fry 3 at a time until golden brown all over, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Reheat oil and repeat with remaining chiles. Transfer chiles to a baking dishes or tray and bake until the cheese thoroughly melts and heats through, 8 to 10 minutes. To serve, coat with Tomatillo salsa (other salsas can also be used). Top with a dollop of Crema.
• In blender place tomatillos, jalapenos and water. Puree until just chunky. Add remaining ingredients and puree about 2 minutes more, or until no large chunks remain. This salsa keeps in the refrigerator, in a covered container, about 3 days.
• In large bowl whisk together cream and buttermilk. Cover and set in a warm place (a gas oven with just the heat from the pilot light for example) for 8 hours. Place in refrigerator. Can be kept for up to a week.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Char the chiles.
• Turn a gas burner on high. Char the chiles on the burner grate, turning with tongs (Marcela is a pro and uses her hands!), until blackened all over. Or char the chiles under the broiler.
• Let them soften.
• Transfer the charred chiles to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and close. Let stand 10 minutes. The chiles will steam in the bag, making them soft and easy to peel.
• Remove the skin.
• Gently rub the chiles with paper towels to remove as much skin as possible. It's okay if a few flecks remain-they'll add flavor, so don't rinse them off.
• Open the chiles.
• Using a paring knife, make a slit across the top of a chile just below the stem, leaving the stem intact. Starting from the middle of the slit, slice lengthwise down to the tip of the pepper (cut through only one layer). Open the chile like a book and pull out the seeds and inner membranes. You may need to use a paring knife to loosen the top of the seedpod. Repeat with the remaining chiles.
• Prepare the sauce.
• Puree the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a blender until smooth. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato puree and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; the sauce will be broth-y. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Make the filling.
• Place the cheese in a bowl, then add the oregano, crumbling and rubbing it with your fingers to release its flavor. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
• Stuff the chiles.
• Fill each chile with about 1/4 cup cheese mixture. Fold in the sides to cover the filling, then thread 2 toothpicks across the seam to form an X. You will probably need to make a second toothpick X to secure each chile so the filling doesn't leak out when you fry.
• Mix the batter.
• Beat the egg whites with a mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the egg yolk and beat 3 more minutes.
• Batter and fry.
• Heat about 1 inch vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Dredge: Pour flour into a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. One at a time, coat the stuffed chiles with the flour.
• Batter: Holding each chile by the stem, lower it into the egg batter to cover completely. Let any excess batter drip off.
• Fry: Add the chiles to the hot oil, 1 or 2 at a time; fry, flipping once with tongs, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
• Eat!
• Place a fried chile on each plate and pour the warm sauce over it. Serve immediately.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Insert a strip of cheese into each chile.
• In a medium sized bowl, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks.
• In a small bowl, beat egg yolks slightly.
• Gently fold into egg whites.
• Add 3 tablespoons flour, and fold in just until blended.
• In a heavy saucepan or deep fryer, slowly heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches vegetable oil to 400 degrees.
• Roll the chiles in flour.
• With a large slotted spoon dip the floured chiles into the egg mixture, coating liberally.
• Gently place in hot oil, 2 at a time, and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In medium saucepan, combine all remaining ingredients except the shredded cheese and sour cream.
• Simmer, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Place chiles in a 13x9 glass casserole or baking pan.
• Spoon the sauce on top of the chiles.
• Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top.
• Bake, uncovered, for 20 mintes, until cheese is melted and chiles are heated through.
• Serve with sour cream.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Prepare the tomato salsa: Put a large pot of water on to boil. When the water starts to bubble, add the serrano chiles and whole tomatoes, and turn down the heat. After 10 minutes of low simmering, strain.
• Add the serranos, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt to a blender with 1/2 cup water, and purée until smooth. Add the tomatoes, then purée until almost totally smooth. (Some larger pieces of tomato are fine, and give the salsa texture.)
• In a large saucepan that will hold all of the salsa, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook until soft and slightly golden on the edges, about 5 minutes, then add the salsa and turn off the heat.
• Prepare the chiles: Using tongs, char two poblanos at a time over the open gas flame (or all six under your broiler, turning them often). The chiles should be blackened all over, and tender to the touch, which takes about 10 minutes. As you finish them, put them on a plate and cover for about 10 minutes.
• Use your finger to gently push and peel away the blackened outer skin of the charred chile. Remove as much as you can, but it's OK if a few small pieces are left; don't worry about it. Use a knife to slice each chile lengthwise, leaving an inch or so on each end, and remove the seeds (again, it's OK if some remain). Fill the chiles with cheese to fit, but make sure the chile can still close along its seam when you pinch it shut.
• Prepare the batter: Separate the eggs, and beat the whites with a whisk attachment until thick and frothy, like meringue. Add the yolks, and beat for another minute, just to incorporate.
• Fry the chiles: In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat about 3 inches of oil over medium until a small drop of batter sizzles vigorously when you add it to the oil. Put the flour on a plate, and roll a chile in the flour so it's completely covered. Push it down into the batter, turn it around gently, and use the stem to pull it out - it will look like a vaguely chile-shaped cloud.
• Gently lay the chile down in the hot oil, seam side up. The chile should immediately start to sizzle and lightly color. Spoon hot oil over any exposed parts of the chile, cooking for about 2 minutes, or until the top of the chile is evenly golden brown, then remove and place on a paper-towel-lined rack to drain. Repeat with each chile.
• When you're ready to sit down and eat, heat the salsa over medium, and season it to taste with salt. Place the fried chiles in the pan. (Work in batches if you have to, so the chiles aren't crowded.) Let them simmer gently for a few minutes, then serve immediately with extra salsa spooned over the top.

QUICK CHILES RELLENOS BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Split each chile lengthwise into halves and remove the seeds. Arrange 2 chile halves and about 3 1/2 tablespoons of the cheese near the outer edge of each tortilla. Roll tortilla to enclose the filling. Repeat process with remaining tortillas, chiles and cheese. Arrange the filled tortillas seam side down in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and sour cream. Spoon over the filled tortillas.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through. Garnish with cilantro.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Split chiles; rinse and remove seeds. Dry on paper towels. Arrange chilies in an 11x7-in. baking dish. Top with cheeses. , In a large bowl, beat eggs; add milk and biscuit mix. Pour over cheese. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 325° until golden brown, 50-55 minutes. Serve with salsa.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Heat broiler. Place whole peppers on a flat pan and broil, turning frequently, until evenly black and blistered. Remove from heat and place in a plastic bag, twisted closed, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium heat and add ground beef (no oil needed). Sauté until evenly brown, then add onion, garlic powder and tomato. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat and set aside.
• In a separate skillet cook strips of bacon until browned and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to beef mixture. Return pan and bacon fat to medium-low heat, and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, the carrot and potato. Sauté until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, spread meat mixture evenly across top, and set aside.
• Remove peppers from bag. Using protective gloves or under cool running water, peel burnt skins. Carefully make a vertical slit in side of each pepper and remove any seeds or veins. Stuff peppers with ground beef mixture, overlapping slits and securing them with toothpicks.
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1/4 inch of oil. While oil heats, with an electric mixer whisk egg whites until thick and fluffy. Add egg yolks and whisk just until blended, about 30 seconds. Place flour in a wide shallow bowl. Coat each stuffed pepper with a thin layer of flour, then dip in egg mixture so that entire pepper is covered. Carefully place peppers in hot oil and fry on both sides until golden, about 2 minutes a side. Drain excess oil on paper towels, transfer to a warm platter, remove toothpicks, and serve immediately.

BAKED CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Roast peppers on the top rack of the preheated oven until the skins are charred, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Set the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• While peppers are cooling, whisk eggs, flour, milk, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl until smooth. Slice the queso fresco into eight even rectangles, just shorter than the length of the peppers.
• Carefully peel off the waxy skin of the cooled peppers. Gently cut a slit down the length of the peppers and use a spoon to remove the seeds and membranes.
• Spread about 1/4 cup of the milk mixture on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Wrap each pepper around a queso fresco rectangle. Place each chile/cheese wrap seam-side down in a single layer in the baking dish. Cover with remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the egg mixture has risen and the cheese is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

CHILES RELLENOS (AUTHENTIC)

Steps:

• Roast chiles 3" under broiler, rotating until charred and blistered, about 3-4 minutes.
• Place chiles in a sealed plastic bag or bowl covered with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle and skin is loose enough to peel.
• Peel off skins under cold running water, then make a small slit three-quarters down length of chile and discard seeds, leaving stem attached.
• Cut cheese in six 3/4 - 1" thick slices slightly smaller than the chiles.
• Stuff each chile with 1 piece of cheese.
• Roll stuffed chiles in flour, shake off excess and set aside.
• In medium size frying pan, melt butter over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring until golden (about 10 min).
• Add tomato puree and oregano, season to taste with salt.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes and keep warm.
• Crispy Egg Coating.
• Seperate 4 eggs.
• In large bowl, whip egg whites with salt until firm peaks form. (make sure they are firm).
• Beat egg yolks until well blended and fold into egg whites.
• Pour oil to a depth of 2-3 inches or so and heat to 425 degrees or med-high.
• Dipp each chile in egg coating and drop into oil and cook about 2 minutes until golden brown on each side, turning once with a fork or spatula.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Top with tomato sauce or enchilada sauce.
• Optional toppings, chopped cilantro, green onions and sour cream.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 7 ingredients in bowl. Season to taste with pepper. Pat chilies dry. Divide filling among chilies. Roll chilies up, enclosing filling. Transfer chilies to baking dish. Cover and bake until cheese mixture is very hot, about 15 minutes. Transfer chilies to plate. Ladle sauce around chilies. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• To make the filling, combine oil, onions, garlic, and rice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until onions are browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Mix in chili powder, and cook for 1 minute more.
• Meanwhile, bring stock and salt to a simmer over medium heat. Add stock to rice, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in acorn squash; add diced tomato without stirring. Cover, and cook 8 to 10 minutes more. Remove from heat, and let stand to steam for 5 minutes.
• To make the chili sauce, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, tomatoes, chili powder, salt, lime juice, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Puree in a food processor or blender, and return to saucepan. If sauce is too thick, add a small amount of water.
• Roast peppers over a gas flame or under a broiler until blackened, being careful not to break off stems. Place in a paper bag to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel peppers. Make a slit in the side of each from top to bottom. Wearing a rubber glove, scrape out the seeds. Stuff peppers with rice mixture.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place 1/4 cup chili sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, and arrange stuffed peppers, cut sides up, on top. Cover with foil, and bake for 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, and serve with warm chili sauce.