Copycat Panchos Chile Relleno Food

CHILE RELLENO RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat 1/3 cup corn oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Finely chop the onion and garlic in a food processor.
• Saute the onion and garlic mixture in corn oil until translucent and golden, and almost caramelized. This will take at least 10 minutes.
• Mix the 1/3 cup flour into the onions and garlic, and stir cooking until flour is lightly browned.
• Place the Roma tomatoes in a food processor and puree. You should have about 1 1/2 cups pureed tomatoes.
• Add the jalapeno pepper and onion/garlic/flour mixture from saucepan into the food processor with the tomatoes. Make sure to submerge the onion and garlic roux into the puree.
• Process everything until all the ingredients are finely pureed.
• Pour that sauce back into the same saucepan, and add 5 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt.
• Crush a teaspoon and a half of Mexican oregano between your fingers and add it along with the fresh ground pepper, bay leaf, a pinch of ground cinnamon, and a pinch of ground cloves.
• Bring mixture to a boil while whisking.
• Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until you have a nice thick sauce. Cover the saucepan slightly vented so steam can escape, and whisk the sauce occasionally.
• You can keep the sauce warm over lowest heat, whisking as needed to refresh consistency until served, or reheat and stir before serving.
• Keep the pepper stems intact and place on a grill or under broiler cooking on each side until evenly blistered and slightly blackened.
• Immediately place the peppers into a large plastic bag and allow to steam for about three minutes.
• Carefully slide the skin off of each pepper and discard.
• Cut a slit lengthwise down the side of each pepper (you need it just big enough to slip a stick of cheese in.
• Carefully cup each pepper with one hand and gently run water into the slit to flush out the seeds.
• Combine 4 cups water, 4 teaspoons salt, and 1/3 cup white vinegar, and soak the chiles in this brine for a few minutes.
• Cut your cheese into 6 long thin sticks.
• Remove chiles from brine and blot dry with paper towels.
• Stuff each chile with one cheese stick by slipping into the pepper slit. Don't panic if you tear a chile, flour and the egg batter will seal it up.
• Pour 2 cups oil into an electric wok or an electric skillet and set heat control to 365°F. If you're confident in the kitchen, feel free to use a heavy duty pot on the stove with a thermoteter to monitor your temperature.
• Measure 1/2 cup flour into a sifter or fine mesh collander and dust each of the chiles well with flour on all sides. For torn chiles, apply some extra flour at the seam then slightly overlap the tear.
• Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
• Beat egg yolks in another bowl with one tablespoon flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Pour the yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites and fold together lightly but thoroughly (with a rubber spatula) while keeping the whites fluffy.
• Use a rubber spatula "frost" a stuffed and floured chile.
• Hold chile by the stem and place carefully into the hot oil. Repeat with additional chiles, frying only 2 or 3 at a time.
• Fry the chiles until golden on all sides, turning once with a skimmer or coated tongs until done. It takes about 5 minutes to fry completely.
• Drain the peppers between paper towels. If not serving immediately, you can reheat them individually in a microwave for 15-20 seconds.
• Make a pool of warm sauce on the plate and add a chile. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh chopped cilantro.

CHILES RELLENOS (AUTHENTIC)

Steps:

• Roast chiles 3" under broiler, rotating until charred and blistered, about 3-4 minutes.
• Place chiles in a sealed plastic bag or bowl covered with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle and skin is loose enough to peel.
• Peel off skins under cold running water, then make a small slit three-quarters down length of chile and discard seeds, leaving stem attached.
• Cut cheese in six 3/4 - 1" thick slices slightly smaller than the chiles.
• Stuff each chile with 1 piece of cheese.
• Roll stuffed chiles in flour, shake off excess and set aside.
• In medium size frying pan, melt butter over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring until golden (about 10 min).
• Add tomato puree and oregano, season to taste with salt.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes and keep warm.
• Crispy Egg Coating.
• Seperate 4 eggs.
• In large bowl, whip egg whites with salt until firm peaks form. (make sure they are firm).
• Beat egg yolks until well blended and fold into egg whites.
• Pour oil to a depth of 2-3 inches or so and heat to 425 degrees or med-high.
• Dipp each chile in egg coating and drop into oil and cook about 2 minutes until golden brown on each side, turning once with a fork or spatula.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Top with tomato sauce or enchilada sauce.
• Optional toppings, chopped cilantro, green onions and sour cream.

CHILES RELLENOS IN TOMATO BROTH

Steps:

• Brown onions in lard.
• Add tomatoes, cinnamon and pepper.
• Cook briskly until sauce becomes the consistency of a thick tomato sauce.
• Add stock, simmer partially covered for 45 minutes.
• Stuff chiles with cheese and hold together with skewers.
• Batter: Beat whites to stiff peaks with 1/2 tsp salt.
• Beat in yolks 2 at a time until well incorporated.
• Beat in flour.
• Dust chiles with flour and dip quickly into batter then lay in 350 degree oil.
• Baste tops with hot oil.
• When they are golden on bottom, turn over and cook other side.
• Drain. Once all chiles have cooled at least 5 minutes (they can sit up to 1 hour), put on sheet pan with parchment, slip out the skewer, and bake at 400 for 15 minutes.
• To serve, place a pool of sauce in a bowl and top with a chile.
• Note: The easisest way to peel chiles for this dish is to deep fry in 350 degree oil for abou 45 seconds, remove, let cool and then peel--there is less chance of breaking the chile this way.
• The oil can then be used to cook the chiles.

CHILES RELLENOS WITH CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Slit chilies open crosswise below stems.
• Stuff each chile with cheese strip (being careful not to break skins). Beat egg whites in small mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Whisk egg yolks in small bowl until creamy. Fold egg yolks and flour into egg whites until just combined.
• ADD vegetable oil to 1-inch depth in medium skillet; heat over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Dip chilies in batter until well coated. Place in oil; fry, turning frequently with tongs, until golden brown. Remove from skillet; place on paper towels to drain.
• Place on serving plate and spoon cheese sauce over the top.
• Cheese sauce:.
• Heat and bubble 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp flour and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 1 cup milk. Heat and stir until thickened. Add 1 cup shredded cheddar or longhorn cheese and melt. If sauce becomes too thick, thin by stirring in a bit more milk.

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.