Ancho Chile Relleno Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack at about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place peppers onto the prepared baking sheet, and cook under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, about 10 minutes. Turn the peppers often to blacken all sides. Place the blackened peppers into a bowl, and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam as they cool, about 15 minutes.
• Rinse cooled peppers under cold water to peel off the skins, and cut a slit along the long side of each pepper to remove the seeds and core. Rinse the peppers inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the peppers with strips of the cheese.
• Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with the baking powder. In a second metal bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until the whites form stiff peaks. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture. Place flour into a shallow bowl.
• Heat the vegetable shortening in a skillet over medium heat. Roll each stuffed pepper in flour, tap off excess flour, and dip the peppers into the egg mixture to coat both sides. Gently lay the coated peppers into the hot shortening. Fry peppers until lightly golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes per side.

Steps:

• Purée tomatoes, onion, and garlic with water and 3/4 tsp salt in a blender until smooth. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids.
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add tomato mixture (it will spatter) and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly and a pool of oil forms around bubbles, about 20 minutes. Stir in enough of boiling-hot water to reach the consistency of a thin broth. Season with salt. Keep warm over low heat.
• While sauce simmers, slit 1 side of each chile lengthwise and remove seeds and veins, keeping chiles intact. Fill each chile first with about 3 Tbsp packed Oaxaca cheese and then with about 2 Tbsp queso añejo and close chiles around filling as well as possible.
• Put flour in a wide bowl and carefully dredge chiles in flour (make sure filling doesn't fall out), gently knocking off excess, and reserve on a plate.
• Heat remaining cup oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
• Meanwhile, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat yolks briefly to loosen, then fold into whites with a rubber spatula gently but thoroughly.
• Working in batches of 3, dip floured chiles, one by one, in egg batter to coat, transferring to skillet. Fry chiles, turning once with a slotted spoon, until batter is golden all over, about 1 minute. Transfer chiles as fried to warm tomato broth, turning to coat, then let stand 2 minutes so they absorb some of broth. Serve chiles with broth.
• Note: Look for chiles that are soft and pliable enough not to need soaking.
• Chiles can be stuffed and coated with flour 1 day ahead and chilled.
• Tomato broth can be made 1 day ahead and chilled (covered once cool). Bring to a bare simmer before frying chiles.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slit an opening in each ancho from stem to tip, being careful not to tear the skin; carefully remove seeds and ribs, and discard.
• Combine the water, vinegar, piloncillo, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add anchos; cover, and let stand 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
• Spoon filling into each chile; arrange in a baking dish. Bake chiles until heated through, about 15 minutes. Bring crema and onion to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl; stir in cilantro. Pour sauce over anchos, and serve.

Steps:

• Make the caldillo con crema:
• In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, onion, and garlic and blend until smooth. For a smooth sauce, push through a fine-mesh strainer if needed.
• In a large skillet, over moderate heat, melt the butter. Add the tomato caldillo mixture and fry, stirring occasionally, until it changes color and reduces slightly.
• Just before serving, gently warm the crema Mexicana in a saucepan, then whisk in the tomato caldillo mixture, bring to a simmer, and season to taste with salt.
• Make the chile rellenos:
• In a medium saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil, along with the piloncillo, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf.
• Heat a comal or cast-iron skillet over low heat and dry-roast the chiles until just tender. Transfer to the boiling water, then turn off the heat and let the chiles soak for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chiles from the water and using a small, sharp knife, make a lengthwise slit down one side of each. Carefully remove the seeds and, if possible, the skin. (The stem of the chile should remain attached, so if the skin is difficult to peel, leave it on.) Season the insides of the chiles with salt, then stuff with the cheese, dividing it equally.
• In a large sauté pan, over moderately low heat, melt the butter. Add the chiles and cook, flipping gently, to melt the cheese.
• Spoon the caldillo con crema onto a platter or individual plates, top with the chiles, and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Sauce: Put the tomatoes, garlic and onion in a blender. Blend until smooth. In a medium saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Chile rellenos: Mix the cheese and oregano in a small bowl. Cut a slit through 1 side of the charred chiles and fill each chile with 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture. Close with toothpicks to hold the filling in place. In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the egg yolk and continue to beat for about 1 minute.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour in enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.) Dredge the filled chiles in flour until fully covered. Shake off any excess flour, then dip the chiles into the egg mixture, until well coated. Fry until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
• Arrange the chiles on a serving platter, spoon the sauce on top and serve.

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high until almost smoking. Add chicken; cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes and bay leaves, and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until tomatoes are soft, 15 minutes.
• Stir in raisins, olives, and capers; cook 3 minutes. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes. Stir in chopped herbs and almonds, and season with salt. Let cool. (Filling may be refrigerated up to 1 day in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature; discard bay leaves.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roast poblanos directly over the flame of a gas-stove burner or under a broiler, turning often with tongs, until charred on all sides. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, rub with a paper towel to remove skins, being careful not to tear the flesh. Cut a slit down the side of each poblano from stem to tip. Remove seeds, leaving stem intact.
• Spoon filling into each chile, dividing evenly; arrange in a baking dish. Bake until heated through, 15 minutes. Serve immediately with crema, cilantro sprigs, and lime wedges.

Steps:

• Char chiles over gas flame or in broiler until blackened all over. Place chiles in bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap and let steam 15 minutes. Peel, leaving stem intact (do not tear flesh of chiles). Using small sharp knife, cut 1 long slit down side of each chile; carefully remove seeds. Toast cumin seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until slightly darkened and aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Set chiles and cumin aside.
• Line rimless baking sheet with foil. Cook potatoes in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Transfer potatoes to medium bowl; cool. Add cheese, chopped oregano, and toasted cumin; stir to distribute evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Carefully fill chiles with potato mixture, about 1/3 to 1/2 cup filling for each. Working with 1 chile at a time, hold in palm and squeeze gently to compress lightly. Place stuffed chiles on prepared sheet.
• Combine broth, juice, 2 teaspoons chile powder, and next 4 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened and reduced to 2/3 cup, 8 to 9 minutes. DO AHEAD: Chiles and sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill separately. Let chiles return to room temperature before continuing.
• Mix 3 teaspoons chile powder and 1 tablespoon coarse salt in small bowl. Sprinkle mixture over pork chops; let stand at room temperature up to 2 hours.
• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Brush pork with oil. Place pork chops on 1 side of grill. Transfer chiles on foil to opposite side of grill. Grill pork chops until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side; transfer to plate and let rest 10 minutes. Grill chiles until cheese melts, about 15 minutes.
• Rewarm sauce. Place 1 pork chop and 1 chile on each plate. Drizzle sauce over, sprinkle with oregano leaves, and serve.
• Often called pasillas; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores, farmers' markets, and Latin markets.
• ** Available in the spice section of many supermarkets and at Latin markets.
• *** Available in tubes at some supermarkets and at Italian markets.

Steps:

• Remove seeds and membranes from peppers. Stuff each pepper with a strip of cheese.
• In a small bowl combine milk, the 1 cup flour, egg, baking powder, baking soda, salt and canola oil; mix well to make a batter.
• Pour enough oil in heavy frying pan to reach 1 inch in depth and heat over medium-high heat. Roll each pepper in the remaining flour and dip in the batter. Fry until lightly browned on both sides.