Make Chiles Rellenos

Chiles rellenos is a Mexican dish made from chile peppers (usually poblano or Anaheim) that are stuffed, dipped in batter and fried. The name of the dish literally means "stuffed chiles" in Spanish. The preferred stuffing varies from region to region, and families sometimes put their own twist on this classic Mexican recipe. If you're interested in trying this ethnic dish, and your tongue can take a little heat, here is a delicious way to prepare and enjoy chiles rellenos.

Serves 10

Ingredients

 * 20 large chiles, firm with stems attached
 * 1 1/2 pound of ground beef
 * 1 pound of cheddar cheese (or try Cotija cheese)
 * 1 tomato
 * 2 onions
 * 12 eggs, whites and yolks separated
 * Bowl of flour, for coating the chiles


 * 1 bag of taco seasoning

Steps

 * 1) Make the filling. Here, we will make two fillings: one comprised of meat, and the other of cheese.
 * 2) *[[Image:Chiles_rellenos2_864.jpg|right|175px]]Meat filling - Fry the ground beef in a standard non-stick pan. Chop up the tomato and one of the onions. Add them to the pan when the meat is fully brown. Remove the pan from the heat and give the ingredients a stir.
 * 3) *Cheese filling - Grate the cheddar cheese into a bowl with a cheese grater. When the whole pound is grated, chop up and add the remaining onion.
 * 4) [[Image:Chiles_rellenos3_921.jpg|right|200px]]Roast the chile peppers. Sometimes, you can buy them already roasted, especially in areas where chiles are a popular part of local cuisine. You can also buy them on the Internet, roasted and frozen. To roast them yourself, put them on the grill or on a gas stove and leave them over the open flame, rotating until they are completely charred. Then rinse them off in cold water, rubbing off the burnt skin. You should now have 20 tender chiles that are waiting to be stuffed.
 * 5) [[Image:Chiles_rellenos4_551.jpg|200px|right]]Prepare the batter. This can be done while the chiles are roasting. Place a dozen egg whites in a bowl. Using an egg beater, beat the whites until they firm up. When they are firm and white, almost like whipped cream, stir in the egg yolks.
 * 6) [[Image:Chiles_rellenos5_422.jpg|200px|right]]Cut an opening in the side of the chile. Make it large enough that stuffing can be put in, but not so large that the chile will fall apart. At this point, you can carefully scrape out the seeds with a butter knife to reduce the heat of the pepper, but this is optional.
 * 7) [[Image:Chiles_rellenos6_875.jpg|200px|right]]Stuff the chiles. Be careful because the soft, roasted chiles are easily torn. Begin with the meat stuffing. Portion out some of the stuffing and fill the chile. When ten of the chiles are filled, do the same to the remaining chiles with the cheese stuffing. Don't stuff them so much that the slit can't be closed.
 * 8) [[Image:Chiles_rellenos7_735.jpg|200px|right]]Pin the chiles with the toothpicks. It doesn't need to be perfect; it's just to keep any stuffing from falling out while you fry them.
 * 9) Prepare a pan with vegetable oil. Allow the oil to get hot but keep setting on low.
 * 10) [[Image:Chiles_rellenos_20.jpg|200px|right]]Coat the chiles with the flour. You put the flour on the chile to reduce the water content and to create a dry surface for the egg white batter to adhere to.
 * 11) [[Image:Chiles_rellenos8_266.jpg|200px|right]]Dip the stuffed chiles in the egg batter.
 * 12) [[Image:Chiles_rellenos9_467.jpg|200px|right]]Place them into the pan and allow them to fry, turning them as the sides obtain a light brown color.
 * 13) [[Image:Chiles_rellenos10_644.jpg|200px|right]]Serve hot with rice and tortillas.

Tips

 * Try making different kinds of stuffings, such as a whole piece of cheese, bean or tomato stuffing.
 * This can be a meal on its own or a hearty side-dish. It's your choice!
 * If you damage a chile, and it isn't "right" for stuffing, you can still use it and make an interesting meal. Just slice the chili in half so it lays flat and place it in an oven-proof shallow dish.  Put the "stuffing" on top followed by cheese and finally the batter, garnish if desired.  Then bake on medium heat until the batter is a golden brown.
 * Be sure to allow some of the batter to drain from the freshly dipped chile so that you don't have a puddle of batter in the oil. Less really is more in this case and will result in an evenly cooked chile.

Warnings

 * Be careful when using stoves, especially when cooking with hot oil. Always supervise children while they cook.
 * Turn the heat to low when adding the chiles to fry so that the oil does not splatter.
 * Wash your hands well after handling the chiles. Be sure to not to touch your eyes or any soft tissue such as inside your nose or personal areas after handling the chiles.

Things You'll Need

 * 12-inch non-stick pan
 * Wooden spoon
 * Rubber gloves
 * Bowls
 * Cheese grater
 * Toothpicks
 * Serving dishes
 * Egg beater

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Roast Peppers on a Gas Stove
 * How to Make Empanadas
 * How to Make Hot Tamales
 * How to Make Bolivian Silpancho
 * How to Make Chilli Oil
 * How to Make Your Own Tortillas
 * How to Cook Rice
 * How to Make Boston Baked Beans

Sources and Citations
Fazer Chiles Rellenos (Pimentas Chile Recheadas)
 * How Doña Martha makes chiles rellenos, in "My Life in Mexico" - Content and images shared with permission.