Smoked Chilis Rellenos Recipes

STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS

Steps:

• Chiles Rellenos: Place a skillet over a medium-high heat. Add oil to warm and add the ground meat to cook breaking down the lumps that form. About 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic until slightly translucent. Add the carrots and keep cooking for about 5 more minutes. After that time add the potatoes to cook stirring frequently.
• While the meat and vegetables are cooking, place the tomatoes and water in the blender process to form a puree. Add this tomato puree to the skillet and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Simmer until vegetables are cook and liquid has reduced and very little remains. In case the liquid has reduced before the vegetables are cooked add some more water during the cooking process. Cool before stuffing the peppers.
• Once your peppers are clean and seed removed dry them with a paper towel. Gather all your ingredients for the final preparation.
• Stuff the pepper using a spoon being careful not to overstuff or the fill will spill while frying it.
• In a large frying pan heat the oil. The oil should be about 3/4 in. deep. While the oil heats beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and then stir in the yolks one by one while beating until you have a fluffy batter season with salt.
• Spread the flour on a large plate and coat the peppers lightly, one by one. Shake off any excess of flour. Making sure they do not open while doing this step.
• Once the peppers are covered with the flour, dip into the beaten eggs making sure it is well coated.
• Carefully place the peppers in the hot oil, do not overcrowd the skillet. Fry each side until it gets a deep golden color. It will take a few minutes on each side. It takes practice to master this step, use a large spatula to help you turn the peppers gently. Place the pepper on a paper towel to absorb the oil.

SMOKED CHILIS RELLENOS RECIPE

Steps:

• Step 1: If using poblano peppers, cut them in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. If using bell peppers, cut off the tops about 1/2 inch below the stems. Scrape out the veins and seeds, taking care not to puncture the bottoms. Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapenos, cilantro, cumin, and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the black beans, baked beans, hot sauce, and 2 cups of the cheese. Correct the seasoning, adding salt, pepper, and/or more hot sauce to taste. Spoon the bean mixture into the hollowed-out peppers. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, dividing it evenly among the peppers. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the cheese. Step 3: Set up your grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. Add the wood chips to the coals or place in your gas grill's smoker box. Alternatively, set up your smoker following the manufacturer's instructions. Preheat to medium (300 degrees). Step 4: Place the peppers in the center of the hot grill grate, away from the heat, or in your smoker. Cover the grill and cook the peppers until they are tender and the cheese is browned and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a platter or plates and serve at once.

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.

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.