I’m always trying to get Rosa to make chiles rellenos for the bakery’s lunch special. Customers love them and they always sell out. But they are messy and a lot of work. Even after you’ve roasted and peeled the chiles and finished making the meat filling, you’re only halfway there: they still need dipping in egg-white batter, individual deep-frying, and an immediate mouth to feed, because nobody likes cold chiles rellenos. I complained about this to Yvonne Bowden, a favorite party-throwing partner. She told me about a relleno casserole that bypassed the deep fryer. It’s still a lot of work, but the casserole configuration is more party friendly. We worked on the dish together and Fiesta Chiles Rellenos were born. Serve with small bowls of Beans a la Charra (page 150).
Recipe information
Yield
makes 12 rellenos
Ingredients
Ranchero Sauce
1
1
1
1
3
4
1
1
1
1
1
Filling
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
6
1
Chiles
12
1
Batter
12
1
1
1
1
1
1
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
TO MAKE THE RANCHERO SAUCE: Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Sauté the 1/2 cup onion, 1 teaspoon garlic, bell pepper, chiles, and celery until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in the 1 teaspoon salt, oregano, wine, broth, and tomatoes with juice. Simmer over medium heat until the flavors meld but the celery retains a slight crunch, about 15 minutes.
Step 2
TO MAKE THE FILLING: Toast the pine nuts, stirring occasionally, in a large, heavy skillet set on medium heat, until they turn golden brown, about 4 minutes. Set aside in a small bowl. In the same skillet, brown the beef along with the 1/2 cup onion, 1 tablespoon garlic, and potato, breaking up the meat with a spatula. Pour off the fat and discard. Stir in the cinnamon, the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, beef broth, tomato sauce, dark chocolate, and raisins. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the pine nuts.
Step 3
TO ROAST AND STUFF THE POBLANOS: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
Step 4
Arrange the poblanos in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast, turning once halfway through, for about 30 minutes. The peppers should be blistered and slightly blackened. Using an oven mitt, place the peppers in large plastic or paper bags. For plastic bags, leave enough room to twist the bag shut. For paper bags, leave enough room to fold the top over twice to seal. Let the peppers steam in the bags for at least 10 minutes, remove them, and peel off the skin, which should slide off easily. Meanwhile, grease a large ovenproof dish with butter or cooking spray. (If the stuffed chiles will not fit in a single layer, use a second baking dish for the overflow.)
Step 5
Starting just below the pepper’s stem, make a lengthwise slit three-quarters of the way down, leaving an opening large enough to scrape the seeds out with a spoon. Be careful not to tear the chile’s flesh. Stuff each pepper with the ground beef mixture, filling it only enough so that the seams still fit together. Set the filled peppers seam side up in the prepared casserole dish. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
Step 6
TO MAKE THE BATTER: Using an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until they form soft peaks. Add the flour, baking powder, the 1/2 teaspoon salt, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder and beat until combined. Spoon the batter over the stuffed poblanos. Bake until the batter is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and spoon on an even layer of ranchero sauce. Top with shredded cheese and bake until the cheese and the rellenos are heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.
do it early
Step 7
The chiles can be roasted, stuffed, and set in prepared casserole dishes 1 day in advance. Just before serving, spread the batter on the stuffed chiles and bake as directed, adding about 10 minutes to the baking time to compensate for the chill of the refrigerated chiles.
tip
Step 8
If serrano peppers are too hot for your taste, substitute an equal number of jalapeños.