Chile Rellenos are a popular dinner in the Southwest
I learned how to cook Chile Rellenos from a dear friend, about 20 years ago. According to Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile_relleno it translates to a stuffed pepper. The dish dates back to 1858 in Puebla, Mexico. And, whether you try this traditional recipe or a Pioneer Woman casserole* ~it is always yummy, and you will say, Ole! 🏜️
Chile Rellenos Recipe
2 Chile Peppers (These are from Hatch, New Mexico, you can use Poblano or Jalapeno too!)
My gourmet grocery store celebrates the harvest with a festival of everything Hatch Chiles, note the pamphlet in pics…The Most Wanted Pepper in the Southwest, so clever!
2 Eggs, separate: whites in the mixer and yellows whisked together in small bowl
Cheese or whatever you want to stuff it with, you be the chef!
Flour, salt and pepper (add a teaspoon of Baking Powder for extra fluffiness)
Cilantro for garnish
Coat the peppers in a little oil to roast them on high heat to release the skin. When the skin has bubbled up, remove them from the skillet and wrap them in plastic wrap, this helps to remove the skin. When cooled off, peel off the skin and cut them open to remove the seeds. No worries, if they look like mine, all will come together for you too! 🌶️
Next, whip the egg whites until they are stiff. Fold in the whisked yellows and keep this cold so it stays fluffy. You can put the bowl over another bowl of ice to help with this. 🥚
Add the cheese (or whatever filling you prefer) to the pepper, then coat it in the Flour mixture. 🧀
Heat up your Iron Skillet to medium-hot and add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add a bed of the Egg mixture. Let it cook for a minute and then add the pepper. This is my own idea, it is certainly easier than dreading it in the egg and it always works so well! Add more egg to the top to cover the pepper. 🍳
When the bottom side has cooked, gently turn it over and you can alway turn it again and again to cook the sides, it will hold together so beautifully. And then you get this golden brown masterpiece Chile Rellenos! 🤠
You can top it off with Queso (cheese and pepper sauce) or your favorite Red or Green chile sauce. In New Mexico they say give me Christmas when they want one of each sauce! Cilantro is a nice garnish. 🔥
I hope you will try this recipe, it is so delicious and perfect with a side of refried beans and rice.
*Here is another recipe that I also like to make for a big crowd, from Ree Drummond:
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a8894/lazy-chiles-rellenos/
We love our peppers and jewelry in the Southwest!
In the Fall, all over New Mexico, Farmer’s Markets sell the chiles. It is a colorful New Mexican tradition. When you see the Ristra (string of chiles) hanging at the front door, it is a sign of a prosperous crop. They had enough left over to decorate with them. They welcome you into their home or business. It is a sign of good health and luck! I always wish for a new one for my September birthday instead of flowers. I place the new ristra at the front door and move the one from last year to the back garden. It will look great for another year and no watering is required.
We invite you to experience the Southwest with our treasured jewelry, so you are dressed to celebrate the colors and crops of Autumn, like Carolyn! ❤️
Shop: https://americanwestjewelry.com
Happy Trails, Laura ~Your Personal Shopper Stylist
PS: Santa says shop for Christmas now, we are only 27 days away! 🧑🎄