Chiles Rellenos Topped with Green Chile Salsa

Chiles rellenos — it’s one of those recipes that takes time to make but is so well worth it. This recipe is in the published Muy Bueno cookbook, but the sauce on top I developed using Las Palmas green chile enchilada sauce — it’s a delicious sauce that complements these rellenos.

Every time I eat chiles rellenos I am reminded of my mom waking up very early to make burritos to sell during her lunch hour while working at a garment factory. My mom was a single mother and worked very hard to make a living. She always made sure there was food in the fridge and a roof over our heads. She has always been such a hard worker and still is.

Recently my mom joined me on a media trip to the Bay Area. Our trip to California was so wonderful. Yes, we were crazy busy with media events, but our time together was so nice and not to mention she was a huge help. I honestly don’t know if I could have done it without her. While I was being interviewed for various radio, magazine, and newspaper outlets my mom was busy in the hotel room kitchen prepping the food for my big news segment.

The segment aired in San Francisco/Bay Area on Estrellatv SF. I am so beyond proud of myself that I had the courage to do this segment in Spanish. Yes, I know my Spanish is not perfect. But, I hope my love of my food, family, and culture shines.

I dedicate these chiles rellenos to my mom and to Las Palmas team. Thank you Las Palmas for choosing me as your spokesperson and thank you mom for helping behind the scenes and teaching me to work hard and go after my dreams.

These chiles rellenos are made with roasted poblano peppers filled with Oaxaca cheese and then dipped in a fluffy egg batter and deep-fried. Serve smothered in sauce, with a sprinkling of queso fresco and cilantro. This dish is traditional and authentic Mexican food at its finest.

Yield: 12 Chiles Rellenos

Chiles Rellenos Topped with Green Chile Salsa

These chiles rellenos are made with roasted poblano peppers filled with Oaxaca cheese and then dipped in a fluffy egg batter and deep-fried. Serve smothered in sauce, with a sprinkling of queso fresco and cilantro. This dish is traditional and authentic Mexican food at its finest.

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

Green Chile Sauce:

• 3 chiles güeros, stemmed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 3 small tomatoes, chopped
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 (28-ounce) can Las Palmas green chile enchilada sauce
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Chile Rellenos:

• 12 large Anaheim or poblano chiles, roasted and peeled
• 4 cups shredded Monterey Jack, Muenster, quesadilla, or Oaxaca cheese
• 1 cup white all-purpose flour
• 2½ teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 8 eggs, separated
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 cups canola oil for frying

Directions:

Make Green Chile Sauce:

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onion, celery, and chiles for 3 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes and garlic, and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add flour and stir for 2 minutes.
3. Add enchilada sauce, salt, black pepper, and simmer about 5 to 10 minutes.

Make Chile Rellenos:

1. After roasting and peeling the chiles, carefully remove the stems and pull out the membranes and seeds being careful not to tear the chiles. Fill each chile through the stem opening with some cheese and set aside.
2. On a plate combine flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Place the filled chiles in the flour and coat all sides well. Shake off any excess flour. Reserve.
3. Using an electric hand mixer beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg yolks, 2 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Carefully fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites being careful not to mix too much so the egg whites don’t fall.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Arrange the chile rellenos on a serving platter and drizzle each with some warm sauce and serve.

Note: Dip each chile one at a time into the egg batter and only right before frying. You will need to work quickly during this process so the egg batter doesn’t fall off. It’s best to work with a large saucepan so you can fry about 2 to 3 chiles at the same time.

More recipes available at muybuenocookbook.com

A special thanks to Las Palmas Sauces for sponsoring this blog post. Opinions are my own.

Written by Yvette  / Photo by Jeanine Thurston