![Tomato Cobbler With Ricotta Biscuits](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/08/11/magazine/11mag-eat/11mag-eat-mediumThreeByTwo440.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
Chiles Rellenos
![Chiles Rellenos](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2021/03/25/magazine/25mag-eat/25mag-eat-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 3serrano chiles, stems removed
- 6beefsteak tomatoes (about 4 pounds)
- 4garlic cloves, peeled
- 1teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
- 1white onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
- 6large, firm poblano chiles (about 1¾ pounds)
- 12ounces queso fresco or low-moisture melting cheese, such as mozzarella
- 5large eggs, yolks and whites separated
- Canola oil, for frying
- 2cups all-purpose flour
For the Salsa
For the Chiles
For the Batter
Preparation
- Step 1
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.
- Step 2
Add the serranos, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt to a blender with ½ 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.)
- Step 3
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.
- Step 4
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.
- Step 5
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.
- Step 6
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.
- Step 7
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.
- Step 8
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.
- Step 9
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.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
To avoid wasting a plastic bag, not to mention having hot chiles touching the plastic, after roasting them you can put them in a bowl and cover the bowl with a plate. They’ll still steam and the skins will slip off.
A tip from my Mexican mother: after charring the chiles, put them in a plastic back instead of a plate for around 5-7 minutes. This will make them "sweat", making it easier to remove the skin. It's also equally valid (and delicious) to skip the batter and frying and eat them plain with the salsa if you don't feel like investing that much time!
this an excellent recipe. authentic and well described. follow the instructions, you will not be dissapointed.
I usually skip the frying and just simmer the filled peppers in the sauce until the cheese is melted.
The soft egg batter relleno is right on with the recipe my Mexican grandmother taught me. Here around Hatch and Pueblo pepper country, we prefer 1) an Anaheim or Pueblo pepper vs a poblano 2) Monterrey Jack cheese; and lastly I was taught to make a seasoned flour (cumin, garlic and onion powder) to coat the pepper before dipping into the batter.
To prevent pepper juices gumming up your burners, and to avoid single-use plastic, roast peppers in a hot oven (450+). Turn with tongs every 5 minutes so they get blackened on most sides. When they look blackened and sort of melted or floppy, put them in paper lunch sacks and twist the tops closed so they steam from the inside out. Let rest for 10' or more, tear the bags partly open to contain skin and seeds as you remove them.
Not necessary to use that much egg batter or oil. A very light dip in an egg/milk mixture and flour will result in a lighter chili. Use only the minimum amount of oil needed. I learned to make these in central Mexico over 40 years ago.
I can see how shallow-frying would be good, but I've always pan-fried them; i.e., just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan, and then flip the chili. I put a chili-sized blob of batter in the pan, let it cook 10-15 seconds to firm, then lay on a filled chili, then another blob of the batter on top; cook covered so the top firms too; flip and finish cooking uncovered. Easier I've found than dipping. Also, I add some cornmeal or masa flour to the batter, for a more substantial coating.
My Mexican husband's family puts 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (or more to taste) in the tomato salsa and it sends it to another stratosphere of taste. Easy and so worthwhile.
Easier yes, but some people say you're washing away flavor too.
Letting them steam in a paper bag is easy and non-toxic, my long prefered choice. And anyone advocating skipping the frothy egg dip or frying is making another dish. To me, the essence of a perfect chile relleno is the light and crispy batter. I typically use less oil and fry three sides, while carefully keeping the slit closed. I'll try this braising in salsa method next time.
As my Mexican step-grandmother taught me: Fill the peeled peppers with “logs” of Monterey Jack. Prepare a shallow dish of flour and a second one of beaten eggs. Coat with egg, coat with flour, roll in egg again. Throw into a heated frying pan with maybe quarter inch of oil, turning as necessary to brown coating and melt cheese. Transfer to a casserole dish, top with canned/jarred salsa, bake at 300-350 til ready to serve. She could have made them in her sleep.
Removing the blackened outer skin of the chiles is easier if you do it under cool running water.
Looks fantastic. We often skip the batter and salsa part and stuff the poblanos with queso, corn, leftover potatoes, and whatever else seems like it would go, then bake the chiles. When done it’s easy enough to spoon a good salsa over them, add a dollop of sour cream, and garnish with a bit of cilantro.
I’ve found that the chilies roast perfectly in a toaster oven. And easier to watch and turn when necessary.
Beat the egg whites until they are a stiff like meringue. Set aside. Beat the egg yolks until they are incorporated, then carefully "fold in" then egg yolks into the meringue. If one "beats" the eggs into the meringue the batter will not be as fluffy. Roll the cheese filled chile in flour then gently dip it in the meringue then into the hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Last let them drain on paper towels.
Delicious and super fun to make. I felt there was a tad too much white onion (half or a very small one would suffice). Also, the salsa was too wet with the 1/2 C water. The chilis reheats days later perfectly with even more flavor.
I’ve never attempted chile rellenos before but have roasted peppers, peeling is a bit of a bummer. Slicing the pepper open correctly is crucial but kinda hard to do and get the seeds out. What other comments about too much batter is true. The final result, while not great looking, tasted pretty good and made for great leftovers.
Sauce shortcut: red sofrito enchilada sauce. Big time saver.
Much easier to go to your favorite Mexican restaurant and order these
I didn’t have much expectation from this recipe. Someone gave me a harvest of poblano peppers. Ummm. Wow. This was amazingly delicious. While simple ingredients, it was well worth the time and effort.
No water in salsa, char quartered onion with poblanos and add to blender, peel tomatoes after simmering- 2ish tsps kosher, 1/2 tsp msg in salsa
An important step has been omitted from this recipe--dipping the flour-coated peppers in the egg batter before frying.
My recommendation is to never, never make this on a Wednesday night, even if you bought all the ingredients and they won't make it to the weekend. Way too much effort and dishes for too little flavor!
Anyone have a good Spanish rice recipe to accompany these green gems?
This is a perfect 101 for chile rellenos. Prepare as shown, or add to the cheese filling with shredded, spiced chicken, pine nuts, diced dried fruit, whatever sounds good to you. The main thing is the egg wash batter... do it this way for the light, crispy, low carb crustiness. And, it was a Mexican woman who told me about the nuts, fruit and chicken additions!
Skip the burner to remove skin by misting with oil and air frying for 6 minutes on each side. They bag or tight plate/bowl to steam the skin loose.
Learned to steam roasted chiles in New Mexico by putting them in a couple sheets of newspaper and then a plastic bag for about 10 minutes. Skins slip off easily after that. I roast by batches, leave the charred skins on and freeze until I need them.
These were exceptional with mo adjustments to the recipe!
Blue Bonnet in Denver makes the best Rellenos--They are crunchy! no sogginess. they wrap the Chile relent in wonton wrappers and small with egg whites. then they deep fry and the sauce is placed over them while they are on the serving dish
Advertisement