Chile Rellenos

Chiles Rellenos De Queso

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The traditional chile relleno. Serve as a main dish or as a vegetable dish.

Yield: 12 rellenos (4-6 servings)

12 large, mild green chiles, parched & peeled with stems on, or you can use three, 8-oz. cans of whole green chiles
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 12 long, narrow strips
Vegetable oil for frying


1. Insert cheese strips into chiles, using the small slit that was cut for steaming (or cut a small slit just below the stem.) Make sure that the cheese strips do not burst the chiles or overfill them. Drain chiles thoroughly on paper towels to ensure that the batter will coat them well. Prepare your choice of batters.

2. Preheat 3 to 4 inches of oil to 375 degrees F in a deep heavy skillet, large saucepan, or deep-fat fryer, using a deep-fat thermometer for accurate temperature. Dip the stuffed chiles in the batter. Place in hot oil and fry until golden. Tongs work best to hold and turn them. Drain well on paper towels. Serve piping hot with chile sauce.

Blue Cornmeal Crust:
Crisp and crunchy. I like this batter best when made with blue cornmeal.

Yield: enough batter for 12 chiles

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cornmeal – blue, white or yellow
1 cup milk
2 eggs

1. In a medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and cornmeal. Blend the milk and eggs, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. If necessary, add a little more milk to achieve a smooth batter that will adhere to the chiles.


California-Style Batter

Yield: enough batter for 12 chiles

4-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated

1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Beat egg whites in a medium-size bowl until stiff but not dry.

2. Beat the yolks in another medium-size bowl until thick. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the yolks, and stir to blend well. Gently fold in the egg whites.

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