Jalisco, Mexico
Absolute favorite this authentic Mexican recipe that has been handed down for generations, originating in the city of Puebla. The roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, dipped in a fluffy egg batter and fried until golden brown! This traditional Mexican dish is easy to make and better than any restaurant version you’ll ever try! So give it a go to warm your soul.
Ingredients:
Chile Rellenos
- 6 large poblano peppers
- 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, cut into long strips or shredded
- 4 cups oil, for frying
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
Salsa Roja
- 6 roma tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 small onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed
- 5 sprigs cilantro
- 1 tsp coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Toothpicks, for securing the stuffed peppers
Instructions:
For The Chile Rellenos
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Roast the peppers, on an open flame till charred or line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place poblano peppers on top
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Set your oven rack directly underneath the broiler and turn the broiler on
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Broil poblanos for 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered
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Carefully flip them over and broil for another 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered
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Remove them from the oven
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Loosely cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep in some of the heat and help them steam
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Let them sit for 5 minutes
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Peel and rub off as much of the loose skin on the peppers as possible. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just as much as you can
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Cut a small slit down the middle of the peppers with a knife
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If you don’t want the peppers too spicy, you can remove some of the seeds. I like to leave them in as poblanos aren’t typically super spicy
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Carefully stuff the peppers with the cheese
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Some of the peppers will be extra fragile because of the roasting process and may tear that’s okay
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Gently close the opening of the peppers and secure it shut toothpicks
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Use as many as you need to ensure that the cheese won’t ooze out during the frying process
- Set aside
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Heat the frying oil in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium high heat
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Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside
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While oil is heating up, prepare the batter
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Separate the egg whites from the yolks into two separate bowls, the whites into a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a small bowl
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Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form
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While continuing to beat the egg whites on low, add in the egg yolks one at a time until all of them are fully mixed in
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The batter should be light, fluffy and smooth
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Place the flour and salt into a separate shallow bowl or plate
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Mix together to combine
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Gently roll the stuffed peppers in the flour mixture, then give them a gentle tap to remove any excess
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Then dip them in the egg batter and gently place them in the hot frying oil
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Fry the peppers for 3-5 minutes per side, until the batter is golden brown and crispy
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Try not to overcrowd the peppers in the pan
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Transfer the peppers to the lined baking sheet to drain off any excess oil
For The Salsa Roja
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Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro and salt to a blender. Puree until smooth
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Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat
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Add blended salsa and bring to a boil
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Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes
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Remove from heat, taste and season to taste
Serve chile rellenos on a plate with some salsa roja, freshly chopped cilantro, some cotija cheese and sour cream. Don’t forget to remove the toothpicks
Enjoy!