# recipe for chile relleno



## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

I'm seeking an authentic recipe for chile relleno. As far as I can tell, everyone has their own version. Most recipes I have found are more like a strata or fritatta. I am looking for the type that use the whole chile.

Also want a good green chile recipe.

Thanks in advance!


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Chile Relleno

You will find one in "In Julia's Kitchen". A recipe from Zarela Martinez. You might also want to check any of Zarela's books.

I would also go with Rick Bayless.


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## greg (Dec 8, 1999)

This isn't a specific recipe, but the basics, acording to my friends the Herrera sisters, are a skinned poblano pepper stuffed with your stuffing of choice, battered and deep-fried.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Your right Greg. Here's Zarela's recipe, Nancya:

It translates to "Stuffed Poblano Chiles"

The poblano chiles are stuffed with a mixture of braised meat (usually pork) and assorted dried and fresh fruits, then usually dipped in beaten egg and deep-fried. The chiles are then covered with a sauce made with a type of cream cheese and ground unripe pecans or walnuts and garnished with pomegranate seeds.

Because you cannot get all the crucial ingredients in the here, meaning in USA, at the same time-–pomegranates are not ripe at the time when young walnuts are on the tree, even supposing you could by the walnuts here at the right stage.

That's the reason why Zarela Martinez developed another version of stuffed poblanos, stuffed instead of batter-fried, that is filled with a mixture of cooked chicken and dried fruits and is one of the most beloved dishes at her restaurant. The sauce is a cream-enriched variation on the basic combination of roasted tomato, onion, and garlic that underlies so many Mexican sauces.

6 large poblano chiles
Vegetable oil for frying
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted better
1 medium-size onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced
½ cup pitted prunes, coarsely diced
½ cup dried apricots, coarsely diced
½ cup dried peaches, coarsely diced
1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons ground true (Ceylon) cinnamon, preferably freshly ground in a spice grinder, or ½ teaspoon cassia cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (or pork)
Salt to taste
Salsa de Tomate Asado (follows)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees f.

Make a small (1 to 1½ inches long) lengthwise slit in each chile. Pour the oil into a large heavy skillet to a depth of about ½ inch and heat over high heat until very hot but not quite smoking. Fry the chiles, two at a time, turning once or twice, until they puff up and take on an olive-beige color. Remove from the pan as they are done. Carefully peel the chiles under cold running water. Very gently pull out the seeds through the slit in each chile, being sure not to tear the flesh. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat until very hot and fragrant. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the olives and dried fruit and cook, stirring, another 3 minutes. Add the olives and dried fruit and cook, stirring, another 3 minutes. Add the spices and chicken and cook, stirring to combine, for 2 minutes more. Season with salt.

Carefully fill the chiles with the mixture through the slit in each. Bake on a greased baking sheet or shallow pan for 7 minutes.

Spoon the tomato sauce onto individual plates or a large serving platter and arrange the chiles on top.

Yield: 6 servings

Salsa de Tomate Asado (Roasted Tomato Sauce)

1 ½ cups heavy dream
8 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 medium-size onion, unpeeled, halved crosswise
3 to 4 large ripe, red tomatoes (about 2 3/4 lbs. total)
Salt

Cook down the cream in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until reduced by about a third. Set aside.

Heat a heavy cast-iron griddle or skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Roast the unpeeled garlic cloves and onion, turning several times, until the garlic is dark on all sides and somewhat softened and the onion is partly blackened and fragrant. Set aside. Roast the tomatoes in the same way, turning several times, until blistered on all sides. Let cool until just cool enough to handle. Peel the garlic cloves and place in a blender. Peel the onion, rubbing away any charred bits, and add to the garlic. Peel the tomatoes directly over the blender so as not to lose any juice and add to the garlic and onion. Puree on medium speed until smooth. Add the cream and process until blended. Season with salt.

Can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.

Yield: about 4 cups


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

I will check for the green chile recipe. I might have that too!

njoy!


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

This is more plebian, but a whole lot quicker....peeled anaheim stuffed with cheddar ( I use ex. sharP) battered with 
flour
salt
egg yolks
egg whites beat until stiff
alittle milk or water to thin
mix the flour, salt, yolks thin to a pancake batter consistancy fold in stiff whites
lightly flour your stuffed chilis and run through batter, pan fry in oil.
great with fresh salsa. Not an explicit recipe sorry


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## pooh (Mar 13, 2001)

Shroom,

Nancya was asking for *authentic*!

Note that I plan to try yours, even if it's not *authentic* however.


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## greg (Dec 8, 1999)

Actually, chiles rellenos tranlates to "stuffed chile", not specifically poblano. Although poblanos may actually be the chile used in the traditional version of the dish (I'll check), anaheims are also a mild pepper and are a good substitute. As far as what they are stuffed with, there is no traditional stuffing, according to my Mexican friends. Personally, I like the cheddar-stuffed version, but have also had them with a beef stuffing.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Yep Pooh I reread her request, and indeed she asked for authentic whole chilis....
with only stratas and fritatas as recipes she'd found.
So that is why I through in the quick version of what I grew up with in Mexican restaurants....Not a hard core meat filled recipe but mine takes 10 minutes and I've eaten them in "authentic restaurants"
I think I put a caveat on the post if not....
this one is quick and fairly easy, I like it as a veg dinner option.


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## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

Hey Shroomgirl, forgive the "authentic." Your version is the one I was looking for - but doesn't the Z one sound interesting too? Going to have to try them both.


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## pooh (Mar 13, 2001)

Ah Shroom, that's exactly why I want to try it. 10 minutes suits me just fine after a hard day's work.

and Nancya, the Z one is REALLY good. You have to do this when you feel like cooking for cooking's sake!

Do njoy both!


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

nancya,

Look here for more sources for chile relleno recipes with whole chiles.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

I have never cared for the egg batter that is used in the traditional recipe for chile rellenos. Instead, I like to bread mine with crushed, fried corn tortillas. Use the 3 step method of flour, eggwash, then the tortillas. I know that this is not authentic, but I personally like this much better.


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## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

This is how I was taught my my Mexican Sous Chef.

Roast/char your peppers over the open flame on your burner. Put it in a plastic bag to sweat, then peel off the burned skin.

You should use traditional cheese (which I can't spell) it's cha wow wow (sound it out it's like the little dog). It's a mild white cheese not unlike montery jack but much cheaper.

Cut 3/4 of the way thru the pepper at the top to create an opening. Pull out seeds then stuff with a hunk of cheese. Use a tooth pick to secure the top back into place so the cheese can't leak out.

Heat fat in a frying pan (they don't use deep friers for this). When it's hot then whip egg batter.

Whip equal amounts of egg whites until stiff (but not dry) then pour your equal amount of egg yolk into the mixer with the whites until they incorporate. The whites will not deflate. Dip your chile into this batter and place in hot frying pan. Turn over and fry other side, when done and pull out tooth pick.

They don't make this with written recipes it's according to how much you want to make.... 6 eggs would cover 8 or so chiles....


Unforunately they didn't have the ingredients to make sauce that day. But they enjoy it with a fresh salsa, slices of avocado, squeeze of lime juice and sour cream. According to the guys their wifes usually do the home cooking and they rarely make their own traditional foods. 

Hope this helps....


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## pooh (Mar 13, 2001)

Hi Wendy,

Great post there. Thank you.


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## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

I love you guys! Ya'll want to come over for dinner while I try several different varieties? 

Whatever happened to a green chili recipe?

Just wanted to say also how much I enjoy ChefTalk. I find something new I want to try everytime I log on.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Nancya,

I'm sorry I didn't find a good green chile recipe for you. Didn't even find a bad one!


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

Nancya,

I don't know if you saw my post above but here is the link for whole chile relleno recipes

If you are specifically looking for green chili recipes, Click on this link.


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## lovindewgirl (Feb 22, 2008)

I myself love Chiles Rellenos. I searched around to find a recipe of my favorite mexican entree. Here is a Rellenos recipe I found in Better Homes and Gardens Mexican Cook Book from 1977. It is great and I love it!!

Chilles Rellenos

8 large poblano chilies
1 16oz. can tomatoes
1 small onion, cut up
1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
Dash pepper
Dash ground cinnamon
4 cups shredded monterey jack cheese (1 pound) or 4 cups Picadillo, heated
8 egg yolks 
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 egg whites
Fat for frying
Cilantro _or_ parsley

Broil peppers 2 inches from heat for about 15 minutes, turning often, till all sides are blistered. Place peppers in a paper or plastic bag. Close bag and let stand about 10 minutes or till cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, make tomato sauce. In blender container combine _undrained _tomatoes, onion, bouillon granules, pepper, and cinnamon. Cover; blend till smooth. Transfer to a saucepan. Heat to boiling; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm over low heat while preparing peppers.
Peel peppers; remove stems and seeds. Stuf each pepper with 1/2 _cup_ of the cheese or 1/2_ cup _hot Picadillo. Set aside. Slightly beat egg yolks and water. Add flour and salt; beat 6 minutes or till thick and lemon-colored. Beat egg whites till stiff peaks form. Fold yolks into whites. 
In a large heavy skillet heat 1/2 inch fat to 375 degree. For each serving spoon about 1/3 cup egg batter into hot fat, spreading batter in a circle. Fry 3 or 4 at a time. As batter begins to set, gently top each mound with a stuffed chili. Cover with another 1/3 cup batter. Continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes more, till underside is brown. Turn carefully; brown second side. Drain on paper toweling; keep warm in 300 degree oven while preparing remainder. Serve with tomato sauce; garnish with snipped cilantro or parsley. Makes 8 servings.

I hope this is helpful to anyone who loves Chiles Rellenos:lips:


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## muskyhopeful (Jun 16, 2006)

Someone earlier mentioned Rick Bayless. I make them as described in *Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen*. Some of the recipes here are similar. Roast skin and peel the poblanos. Make a slit in the side and remove the seeds. Stuff with cheese or pork pecadillo. Close with a couple toothpicks. I usually do two of each. That cookbook also has an excellent pecadillo recipe with raisins, almonds, and a hint of cinnamon, and also a great sauce.

I struggled with these until I found a little hint in another of Bayless's cookbooks. After stuffing, put the peppers in the freezer for a short time to firm them up. After the slight freeze, dip them in an egg batter (stiff whites with yolks incorporated as someone else described). They float and I fry them in deep oil turning once. Then I set them on papers towels on a cookie sheet (again per Bayless), and put them in a 250 degree oven for about ten minutes which firms them and sweats out a little oil. Set them on a plate on the sauce. Lots of work, but well worth it.

These rellenos are absolutely one of my favorite things to eat. At Bayless's Frontera Grill, they only make about 15 servings every day. They go quick. When we eat there, which is most every time we go to Chicago, we go before they open at 5:00 pm and get in line, (they don't take reservations). When they come out before the doors open to find out how many in your party, you tell them you want an order of the rellenos. They smile and say good choice.

My wife and I then split this entree as an appetizer, as do most of the other people that order them while in line. I picked up that tip on the LTH forum, I think.

They are so darn good I feel like driving down to Chicago tomorrow. Maybe I'll make some and post the pictures.

By the way, the cookbook I referenced is one of my favorites. The front third of the book contains authentic sauces, salsa, etc., and you can build just about anything around them. I love it.

Kevin


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

While Poblanos are the most traditional, Anaheims make a good relleno as well. I can find Anaheims easily. Poblanos take some driving and seasonal timing.

Phil


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Wendy's recipe is very much what we see in real Mexican restaurants (as opposed to restaurants oriented to the gabacho clientele) in SoCal -- and it doesn't get more Mexican anywhere than here. Or, for that matter, Chicago. Lovindewgirl's recipe resonates too. Not to take anything away from Bayless, or the other mavens of _cocina Mexicana_ but the everyday foods tend to be simpler than the _en nogada_ (walnut) recipe or the Zarela Martinez recipe. While those dishes may be "authentic," they're more high-zoot than typical. It all depends what you're looking for: What Mexicans eat at home, or what they eat when they go out to high-end Mexican restaurants in Mexico, or Chicago. Oddly, we don't see much of that here. The trends in SoCal Mexican restaurants seems to be regional cooking, and _mariscos_ (sea food). There also seems to be a strong orientation to the ethnic customer. That may be more pronounced in the San Gabriel Valley where I live, though.

Lovindewgirl caught the type of sauce usually used for chiles relleno in northern Mexico which is where so many of our immigrants originate. That is, a basic _ranchero_. Which means a farm-style tomato sauce. If you're not looking to go fancy, you could do worse than opening a can of red enchilada sauce. Saute a few onions, cut lyonnaise with a few strips of green pepper, and when they're sweated, dump the enchilada sauce on top. Thin it with a little broth or water or beer. Want to go crazy and cook it just like mama used to? When it's simmering, add a few chicharrones (fried pork rinds) and simmer until they're very tender.

A lot of what and how depends on what kind of access you have to Mexican markets. Here in SoCal people use poblanos and anaheims, and all kinds of cheese. There are a lot of Mexican cheeses that work, and a lot of American and European cheeses, too. If it melts, it can't be bad. But when it's all done, try crumbling some _cotijo_ on top.

BDL


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

I know that this an old thread, but I just came back from the green-grocer and they had Hatch Chiles, mild, medium and hot, fresh from New Mexico. I asked the guy not to fire roast 4 nice and straight chiles for me.

I really wanted to try a Chile Relleno but not with Montrey Jack cheese.

What is the name of the Mexican cheese that is used? 

Where we are, there are many different cheese, but I am not familiar at all with them.

Could someone help me out?


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

Chihuahua cheese or queso Chihuahua. It's generally more expensive and doesn't really act or taste any different from any ordinary good mozzarella that will probably be half the price.


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