Baked Chiles Rellenos
This chile pepper is often mislabeled ‘Pasilla’, which is a different pepper entirely.It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico and has won the appreciation of many a chef worldwide because of the superior flavor it has over regular bell peppers.
They have a tough outer skin that usually requires roasting and peeling before use. These very large chile peppers are most popular in chiles rellenos recipes, but cooking with these as a substitute for bell peppers in any recipe will enhance the flavor.
Ingredients:
8 poblano chiles
3/4 lb fresh high-quality Mexican chorizo
1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
1 tsp minced fresh oregano leaves
12 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup freshly shredded jack cheese
Instructions:
Preheat broiler. Lay chiles in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cook about 4 in. from broiler until chiles are blistering and black, about 5 minutes. Turn chiles over and broil until blistering and black all over, about 5 minutes. Put chiles in a large metal bowl and cover with foil or plastic wrap. Let sit 15 minutes.
Peel chiles and discard skins. Cut off stem ends and discard. Remove seeds. Set chiles aside on layers of paper towels to dry.
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook chorizo, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, until cooked through, about 4 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, mix chorizo, cotija, and oregano. Stuff chiles with mixture and lay them in an 8- by 12-in. baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs until they are thoroughly broken up and uniform in color and texture. Whisk in flour, baking powder, and salt. Sprinkle chiles with 1/2 the jack cheese. Pour egg mixture over chiles and sprinkle with remaining jack.
Bake until top starts to brown and the eggs are set but still soft, about 30 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.
From Sunset, March 2008.