Rellenos

The lovely Paige (another Californian in diaspora here in New York- we gotta stick together!) asked for some of the relleno recipes from Saturday. Here you go!

Poblano Chiles Stuffed with Beans

This recipe is from a 1955 Spanish/English cookbook my brother picked up when his college library was dumping it. I don't remember the title, but if I come across it I'll post. It's not much of a recipe, actually, more of a guide. The chile prep instructions are mine, I learned them when I lived in New Mexico.

Poblano chiles
cheese (mild- queso fresco or muenster or something)
cream
beans (we cooked pink beans (pintos would be good, too) and then simmered them with espazote, diced tomatoes, onion, and salt).

Roast the chiles over a flame (like on your stove, as long as it's gas!) until their skins are nice and charred. Put them in a paper bag to sweat, and then peel the skin off when they are cool enough to handle. Cut a slit up the side and remove the seeds and veins (try to keep the opening small, but don't fret if it splits all the way open). Stuff the beans into the chiles.

Now you have a choice to make. You can either bake them as they are, which is what we did (just sprinkle with cheese and poured some cream on them and baked at 375) or you can batter and fry them. To batter you'll need eggs (say, 2-3), flour, salt, and oil. Separate the eggs and whip the whites until the form stiff peaks. Mix the yolks in, and then fold in a few spoonfuls of flour and a pinch of salt. Be gentle- this is a very frothy, fluffy batter. Oh, if you're doing this you should dust the chiles with flour before you stuff them. Then put a spoonful or two of the batter on a plate. Lay a stuffed chile on top and carefully coat the rest of it with batter too. Slide it into hot oil (about 375) and fry. Repeat with other chiles. Then put them in a baking pan with some cheese and cream and bake til the cheese melts.

The next recipe is from Diana Kennedy's "My Mexico".

Chiles Anchos Rellenos de los Andrea

THE CHILES
6 large ancho chiles (we use about 12 medium)
3 T vinegar
3 T dark brown sugar (or piloncillo if you can find it)

THE FILLING
2T vegetable oil
1 small white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
12oz ground pork, inc a little fat
12oz lean ground beef
salt to taste
8 oz chopped tomatoes (we used canned diced since it's not tomato season yet)
4 peppercorns
2 cloves
1/2" cinnamon stick
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp dried marjoram
1/3 c raisins
2T (heaping) slivered almonds or pine nuts
1T vinegar

TO SERVE
1 1/2 c creme fraiche (used sour cream) diluted with a little milk
parsley
pomegranate seeds (if you can get them. yum.)

Slit the chiles and de-seed and vein as I described above. Put them in a pan with water to just cover and the vinegar and brown sugar. Simmer 5 min, then set aside to soak for approx 30 min- until they are plump and soft.

Heat oil in skillet and saute the onions until translucent but not browned. Add the garlic, saute 30 seconds or so. Add the meats and salt and cook, breaking up lumps, for about 3 min. Add tomatoes, cover pan, and cook on medium 5 min or so. Add spices and herbs and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally another few minutes, then add the raisins, nuts, and vinegar and cook until the meat is well cooked and shiny but not juicy.

Stuff the chiles with the meat until they are very fat. Pour the sour cream over them and sprinkle with parsley and serve at room temperature.

You will be very, very happy.