Chile Relleno Puff Food

CHILES RELLENOS PUFFS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 24 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.* In 3-quart saucepan, heat water and butter over high heat to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat.
• Stir in flour, cornmeal and salt until mixture forms a dough and all lumps have disappeared. Gradually stir in beaten eggs until well blended. Stir in both cheeses and the chiles. Spoon dough evenly into sprayed muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake at 400°F. for 25 to 29 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from muffin cups. Serve warm.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Char the chiles.
• Turn a gas burner on high. Char the chiles on the burner grate, turning with tongs (Marcela is a pro and uses her hands!), until blackened all over. Or char the chiles under the broiler.
• Let them soften.
• Transfer the charred chiles to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and close. Let stand 10 minutes. The chiles will steam in the bag, making them soft and easy to peel.
• Remove the skin.
• Gently rub the chiles with paper towels to remove as much skin as possible. It's okay if a few flecks remain-they'll add flavor, so don't rinse them off.
• Open the chiles.
• Using a paring knife, make a slit across the top of a chile just below the stem, leaving the stem intact. Starting from the middle of the slit, slice lengthwise down to the tip of the pepper (cut through only one layer). Open the chile like a book and pull out the seeds and inner membranes. You may need to use a paring knife to loosen the top of the seedpod. Repeat with the remaining chiles.
• Prepare the sauce.
• Puree the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a blender until smooth. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato puree and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; the sauce will be broth-y. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Make the filling.
• Place the cheese in a bowl, then add the oregano, crumbling and rubbing it with your fingers to release its flavor. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
• Stuff the chiles.
• Fill each chile with about 1/4 cup cheese mixture. Fold in the sides to cover the filling, then thread 2 toothpicks across the seam to form an X. You will probably need to make a second toothpick X to secure each chile so the filling doesn't leak out when you fry.
• Mix the batter.
• Beat the egg whites with a mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the egg yolk and beat 3 more minutes.
• Batter and fry.
• Heat about 1 inch vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Dredge: Pour flour into a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. One at a time, coat the stuffed chiles with the flour.
• Batter: Holding each chile by the stem, lower it into the egg batter to cover completely. Let any excess batter drip off.
• Fry: Add the chiles to the hot oil, 1 or 2 at a time; fry, flipping once with tongs, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
• Eat!
• Place a fried chile on each plate and pour the warm sauce over it. Serve immediately.

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CHILI RELLENOS

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.

CHILES RELLENOS PUFFS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F Spray 24 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. In 3-quart saucepan, heat water and butter over high heat to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat.
• Stir in flour, cornmeal and salt (cumin and cayenne if using) until mixture forms a dough and all lumps have disappeared. Gradually stir in beaten eggs until well blended. Stir in both cheeses and the chiles.
• Spoon dough evenly into muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake 25 to 29 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from muffin cups. Serve warm.

CHILES RELLENOS PUFFS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F
• Spray 24 regular size muffin cups with cooking spray.
• In a 3 quart saucepan, heat water and butter over high heat to a full rolling boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in flour, cornmeal, and salt until mixture forms a dough and all lumps have disappeared.
• Gradually stir in eggs until well beaten.
• Stir in both cheeses and the chilies.
• Spoon dough evenly into muffin cups, filling them 3/4 full each.
• Bake 25 to 29 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool 2 minutes, remove from muffin cups.
• Serve warm.
• NOTE: if you only have one 12 cup muffin pan, make the 12 muffins and bake as directed.
• Refrigerate left over dough until ready to bake second batch.
• To bake second batch, bake 28 to 35 minutes.
• Extra time compensates for he dough being chilled.

CHILES RELLENO PUFFS

Steps:

• Combine butter and flour in a food processor bowl.
• Process until well mixed.
• Add Monterey Jack cheese, chilies and garlic powder.
• Process until well mixed.
• Form dough into 3/4 inch balls; roll in Parmesan Cheese.
• Place on a greased baking sheet.
• Bake in a 375 oven about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve warm.