Virdenscrockpotchilierellenos Recipes

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.

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.

AUTHENTIC CHILE RELLENO RECIPE

Steps:

• Char the poblanos: Char the peppers over the open flame of your gas stove, turning occasionally until all sides are blackened. Transfer to a heat proof bowl, cover and let cool to room temperature. If you don't have a gas stove you can also do this on a grill or under the broiler.
• Make the Salsa Ranchera: Turn the broiler to high and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place tomatoes, onion, garlic, and serranos on the baking sheet and place under the broiler. Check every 2-3 minutes and turn the vegetables so the blacken on all sides. The garlic will cook much faster than the other vegetables. Remove each ingredient as it is done cooking. This should take anywhere from 9-15 minutes.
• Blend the salsa ingredients. Remove the skin from the garlic and the stem and skin from the serranos. If you are sensitive to heat you can also remove the seeds of the serrano peppers too. Place all the blackened vegetables into a blender along with the 2 teaspoons of salt, the oregano, and the cup of water. Blend on high until smooth.
• Fry the sauce. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a small Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the sauce (careful it will splatter) and fry in the oil until the color deepens and the sauce is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
• Peel the peppers. Carefully remove the blackened skin from the peppers. Try your best not to rip or break them. Get off as much as you can and rinse the rest off under running water.
• Stuff the peppers. Cut a slit down the side of each pepper and remove the seeds with your fingers, again being careful not to rip or break them. Rinse out any remaining seeds under running water. Fill each pepper with 3/4 to 1/2 cup of shredded cheese depending on the size of the pepper-you will use all the cheese. Place 1-2 fresh epazote leaves inside each pepper if using. Seal closed by threading a toothpick through the opening.
• Make the batter. Beat the egg whites in a bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium-high until they are stiff. Turn the mixer to low and add the yolks one at a time until they are completely incorporated. Add a generous pinch of salt and mix that in as well.
• Heat oil. Heat the cup of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
• Batter the chiles. Place flour in a pie plate or shallow baking dish. Season generously with salt. Coat the chiles, one at a time, in the flour, dusting off any excess then dip the chiles into the mixing bowl and cover with the egg batter. I like to use a small spatula to "paint" the batter onto the chiles until they are thoroughly coated.
• Fry the chiles. Once the oil is hot (test by sticking a wooden chopstick in the oil, if it is immediately covered in bubbles the oil is ready) add the chiles, two at a time. Adjust the oil temperature as they are cooking. If the oil starts to smoke, turn it down if it becomes too cool, turn up the heat.
• Flip the chiles. Once the chiles are golden brown on one side, flip using a fish spatula and cook until golden on that side. Keep flipping and frying until they are golden all over and they are warmed through, about 5-8 minutes.
• Drain the chiles. Remove to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain the excess oil and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining chiles. Then serve immediately with Salsa Ranchera.
• Make in advance. The chiles keep great if you want to make them ahead. Keep them warm for up to an hour in a low (200°F) oven. Or make, let cool, and refrigerate then reheat in a 350°F oven until hot, about 15 minutes.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• To make the tomato sauce for serving, put the tomatoes in a blender. Add the chicken broth, garlic, onion and 1 teaspoon salt and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the sauce to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• Carefully cut a lengthwise slit in each chile and scoop out the seeds. Stuff each with 2 to 3 strips of cheese (depending on the size of the chile), enclosing them tightly.
• Place the flour on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the chiles in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.
• In a large saucepan, heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Using a hand-held mixer, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold the beaten yolks into the egg whites, add 1/4 teaspoon salt and beat to stiff peaks.
• Holding the chiles by the stem, dip them into the egg mixture to coat completely. Add to the oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, about 2 minutes per side. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chiles to paper towels to drain.
• Place the chiles on each of 6 plates. Spoon the sauce equally over the chiles and serve.

LAZY CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Mix together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne.
• Cut chilies in half and add a single layer of chilies on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
• Top chilies with half the grated cheese.
• Repeat with another layer of chilies and another layer of cheese.
• Pour egg mixture all over the top.
• Place into a larger baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Pour in 1/2 inch of water and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until completely set.
• Cut into squares and serve with warm corn tortillas!

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.

FAVORITE CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Sprinkle green chiles in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with beef. In a large bowl, combine the cheese, flour and salt. , In a small bowl, whisk eggs and milk; stir into cheese mixture until blended. Pour over the beef. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

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.

BAKED CORN STUFFED CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• ADVANCE prep of the corn and peppers:.
• Preheat grill or broiler to high heat.
• Spray corn with nonstick spray and season to taste with salt and pepper; grill corn (or broil 4" from heat), turning every 2-3 minutes, for 12 minutes or until all kernels are browned.
• Let corn cool and when cool enough to handle, cut off kernels (you will need about 1 1/2 cups).
• Roast the chiles either on the grill or in the broiler, turning every 3 minutes (12 minutes total) or until all the skin is charred.
• Immediately pop the peppers into a large, clean paper bag and roll top to seal.
• Let bag sit 15 minutes- when you open the bag, the skins should have loosened up.
• Let peppers cool down enough to handle and peel off charred skins (while wearing plastic gloves to protect your hands).
• (All of the steps up to this point can be done in advance if needed).
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Set aside 6 of the peppers whole, then cut up the remaining 2 peppers, seeding them and cutting them into 1/4" pieces.
• Mix the 2 chopped peppers with the roasted corn.
• Get your bowl or roasted corn kernels and chopped peppers and mix in cheese, scallions, garlic,cilantro,and currants.
• Taste the mixture and add more salt and pepper if needed-it should be highly seasoned.
• Get your reserved 6 whole roasted and skinned chilies and cut a 2" long slit lengthwise making a chilie pouch.
• Scoop out the core and seeds (try not to tear the skin of the pepper), leaving the stem intact.
• Stuff each pepper with the corn mixture.
• Set flour in a shallow bowl, egg in another, cornmeal in a third bowl.
• Dip each chilie into the flour, then the egg, then the cornmeal and set on a nonstick baking sheet (or a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed lightly with nonstick spray).
• Spray the tops of the stuffed chilies well with nonstick spray.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and the filling is hot.
• Suggested garnishes: Fresh cilantro leaves, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream if desired.