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Mexican


RANCHERO SAUCE:
1 jalapeño
2 chiles güeros or sweet mini peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped white onion
1/2 celery stalk, chopped
3 small tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups water
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, granules

CHILES RELLENOS:
12 large Anaheim, Hatch, or poblano chiles, roasted and peeled
4 cups sliced Queso Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, Muenster, quesadilla, or asadero cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
8 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups canola oil for frying

RANCHERO SAUCE:
Boil jalapeño, chiles güeros or peppers until soft. Remove stems and chop. Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onion, celery, and boiled chiles for 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes and garlic, and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add flour and stir for 2 minutes.
Add water, salt, black pepper, and granules and simmer about 5 to 10 minutes.
CHILES RELLENOS:
After roasting and peeling the chiles, carefully slit the bottom half of the chiles. For a milder chile relleno remove the stems and pull out the membranes and seeds being careful not to tear the chiles. Fill each chile with some cheese and set aside.
On a plate combine flour, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper. Place the filled chiles in the flour and coat all sides well. Shake off any excess flour. Reserve.
Using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper on high speed until soft peaks form.
Add in the egg yolks, and carefully fold the egg yolks into the egg whites being careful not to mix too much so the egg whites don’t fall.
Fill a large heavy-bottomed saucepan about a third of the way up with canola oil and heat on medium-high heat. You want to get the oil very hot before frying your chile rellenos. Test the oil by dropping some of the egg white mixture into the oil. If the mixture sizzles and floats to the top, it’s the right temperature. If it sinks, the oil is not hot enough.
Dip the filled and flour-dusted chiles into the egg mixture until well coated, forming a little cocoon. Coat each chile one at a time just prior to frying. Carefully place the egg-coated chile rellenos in the hot oil, about 2 at a time. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Change paper towels 2 to 3 times to absorb excess oil.
Arrange the chiles rellenos on a serving platter and drizzle each with some warm ranchero sauce and serve.

Make ahead tip: After you have roasted, peeled and stuffed the chiles, refrigerate them overnight. When you’re ready to eat, proceed with dipping them in flour, battering them and frying them.

What type of chile peppers are used for chile rellenos? This recipe is made with Anaheim chile peppers. The common chile relleno often calls for poblano chiles, but various kinds of chiles can be used such as Anaheim, Hatch, or poblano. Chiles rellenos can be made with your favorite long green chile.

Use a different cheese. Traditionally, chiles rellenos are made with queso Oaxaca cheese, but you could also use Monterey Jack, Muenster, quesadilla, asadero cheese, or your favorite melting cheese.

Do I have to remove the chile seeds? To seed or not to seed chile peppers is truly up to you. My mom left the stem and seeds in these chile peppers, but for a mild chile relleno you may want to pull out the membranes and seeds being careful not to tear the chiles.

Separate eggs: Separate eggs and make sure there are no traces of yolk in the whites, or the whites will not whip properly.

Drain the chiles: Drain the fried chiles on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Change paper towels 2 to 3 times to absorb excess oil.

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