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.
Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onion, celery, and chiles for 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes and garlic, and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add flour and stir for 2 minutes.
Add enchilada sauce, salt, black pepper, and simmer about 5 to 10 minutes.
Make Chile Rellenos:
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.
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.
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.
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 chile rellenos on a serving platter and drizzle each with some warm sauce and serve.
Notes
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.