Chiles Rellenos

Chiles Rellenos is one of my favorite dishes. We had it more then few times in different restaurants, differently prepared. Sometimes served with sauce over them, sometimes without.
Always, delicious. After debating with myself when I will try to prepare this amazing dish for my family, finding fresh and best quality peppers are must….it takes effort but it’s worth it. Can’t wait to make them again:)

For the cheese choice I decided to try Spain’s Manchego Viejo. This is 100% sheep’s milk cheese with rich taste, it melts but it stays in the peppers( it will not overmelt).

Ingredients:

4 poblano chiles peppers, charred and peeled
1/2 pound cheese, cut into strips
2 eggs, beaten
sea salt, for taste
extra virgin olive oil, for frying
1/2 cup all-purpose flour for coating

Roast the chiles on a hot grill, burner or in a broiler on high heat.

Turn them occasionally until the skins are blackened and charred. When the skin of the chiles is blistered, remove from the heat and store them into bag sealed, let them cool to room temperature so you don’t burn yourself.

Peel the skin from the cooled chile, rinsing your fingers if they become sticky. Be careful to not tear the chile while peeling it. You are going to make a small slice into the side of the chile, just big enough to scrape the seeds and the white membrane out.
Place a slices of cheese into the chile. Don’t over-stuff it.

Place the chiles on the flour and sprinkle the rest of the flour on top. Use your fingers to make sure the entire chile is coated. Dust off remaining flour and set chiles aside.
For a batter, whip 2 egg whites until they are stiff. Stir up the remaining yolks and slowly fold them in with a pinch of salt. Use approximately 2 large eggs for each pound of chiles.
One at a time, hold the chiles by the stem and dip the stuffed chiles into the batter.

Carefully place them into a pan with hot oil. Cook each side until batter is a crisp golden brown.
Serve immediately with your favorite salsa, black beans and tortilla chips on the side.
¡Buen apetito!