Eggplant Chiles Rellenos Food

EGGPLANT AND MANCHEGO FILLED CHILE RELLENO WITH RED PEPPER-BALSAMIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Toss the eggplant with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper and place onto a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and toss with the garlic and oregano and place back into the oven for another 10 minutes, until the eggplant is lightly golden brown and soft. Remove from the oven, add the parsley and gently toss to combine. Let cool slightly.
• Place the eggplant into a bowl and toss with the cheeses. Set aside.
• Combine the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Bring the vinegar to a boil in a small nonreactive saucepan and cook until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup. Stir in the honey and set aside.
• Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Divide the eggplant filling among the peppers, compressing it into the shape of the pepper (the roasted pepper is very delicate and may begin to tear, but it will be fine).
• Place the flour onto a plate and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the pepper completely in the flour and tap off any excess. Dip the peppers into the beer batter and allow excess to drain off. Place the cornmeal on a plate and season with salt and pepper and dredge the pepper in the cornmeal.
• In a large frying pan, heat the oil to 370 degrees F.
• Fry the peppers in batches, turning until lightly brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Spoon some of the sauce in the middle of the plate. Place a relleno on top of the sauce and drizzle the relleno with some of the balsamic reduction. Garnish with parsley.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Prepare the tomato salsa: Put a large pot of water on to boil. When the water starts to bubble, add the serrano chiles and whole tomatoes, and turn down the heat. After 10 minutes of low simmering, strain.
• Add the serranos, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt to a blender with 1/2 cup water, and purée until smooth. Add the tomatoes, then purée until almost totally smooth. (Some larger pieces of tomato are fine, and give the salsa texture.)
• In a large saucepan that will hold all of the salsa, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook until soft and slightly golden on the edges, about 5 minutes, then add the salsa and turn off the heat.
• Prepare the chiles: Using tongs, char two poblanos at a time over the open gas flame (or all six under your broiler, turning them often). The chiles should be blackened all over, and tender to the touch, which takes about 10 minutes. As you finish them, put them on a plate and cover for about 10 minutes.
• Use your finger to gently push and peel away the blackened outer skin of the charred chile. Remove as much as you can, but it's OK if a few small pieces are left; don't worry about it. Use a knife to slice each chile lengthwise, leaving an inch or so on each end, and remove the seeds (again, it's OK if some remain). Fill the chiles with cheese to fit, but make sure the chile can still close along its seam when you pinch it shut.
• Prepare the batter: Separate the eggs, and beat the whites with a whisk attachment until thick and frothy, like meringue. Add the yolks, and beat for another minute, just to incorporate.
• Fry the chiles: In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat about 3 inches of oil over medium until a small drop of batter sizzles vigorously when you add it to the oil. Put the flour on a plate, and roll a chile in the flour so it's completely covered. Push it down into the batter, turn it around gently, and use the stem to pull it out - it will look like a vaguely chile-shaped cloud.
• Gently lay the chile down in the hot oil, seam side up. The chile should immediately start to sizzle and lightly color. Spoon hot oil over any exposed parts of the chile, cooking for about 2 minutes, or until the top of the chile is evenly golden brown, then remove and place on a paper-towel-lined rack to drain. Repeat with each chile.
• When you're ready to sit down and eat, heat the salsa over medium, and season it to taste with salt. Place the fried chiles in the pan. (Work in batches if you have to, so the chiles aren't crowded.) Let them simmer gently for a few minutes, then serve immediately with extra salsa spooned over the top.

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.

EGGPLANT CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Add water to a large pot; bring to a boil.
• Add in eggplant and onion; cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender; drain well; set aside.
• In a bowl, mix together eggs, green chiles, hot sauce, cheddar cheese, and Monterey Jack cheese.
• Add in eggplant mixture; beat using an electric mixer on medium speed until mixture is smooth.
• Spoon mixture into a 1-quart casserole that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
• Mix together the cracker crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle over the casserole.
• Bake in a 375° oven for 45 minutes or until pick comes out clean.
• Serve with picante or salsa.

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• To prepare the chiles:
• Position a rack on the upper most shelf of the broiler element and preheat. Put the chiles on a foil-lined broiler pan and broil, turning occasionally with tongs, until the skin is charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chiles to a bowl, cover, and cool for 10 minutes.
• Carefully rub the charred skin off the chiles. Using a small knife, make a lengthwise slit along the side of each chile to form a pocket. Carefully cut out and discard the seeds.
• Cut the cheese into 6 (1/4-inch-thick) slabs, about 3/4 the length of each chile (your chiles probably vary in length, so tailor the cheese to the chiles). Slip the cheese pieces into the pocket of each chile so they're 2/3 full. (If the cheese protrudes from the chiles, just cut a little off.) "Sew" each chile shut with a wooden skewer or long toothpick. (The skewers should be longer than the chiles, so they can be easily pulled out after frying.)
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, cumin, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the beer to a make a smooth batter.
• In a large, wide, heavy-bottomed pot, pour in the oil to a depth of about 3 inches. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 365 degrees F.
• Put the flour for dredging on a plate. Working in 2 batches, dredge the chiles in the flour (the dampness of the chiles creates a light paste with the flour that seals over any tears), dip in the batter, and carefully add to the oil. Fry, turning the chiles once, until golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer the chiles rellenos to a dry paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle with salt, to taste. Gently pull out and discard the skewers.
• Heat the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce on a plate and set 1 chile relleno on top. Repeat with the remaining sauce and chiles. Serve.
• In a blender, combine all the ingredients and puree until smooth.
• Transfer the tomato puree to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until slightly thick, about 10 minutes.
• Yield: about 3 cups

CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Place the peppers on a baking sheet and broil until the skin is blistered and charred, turning to cook on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Place the charred peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to cool for at least 10 minutes. Once cool, remove the skin easily with your hands.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. In a small bowl, mix 2 egg yolks with 1 tablespoon flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. (Reserve 2 remaining yolks for another use.). Place the remaining flour on a small plate. Mix one-third of the egg whites into the egg yolks, and then gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the remaining egg whites just until incorporated. In a third bowl, mix together the cheese and corn.
• Remove the seeds from the peppers by slicing them open along one side. Slice about two-thirds the length of the pepper, just long enough to remove the seeds with a small spoon. Stuff the peppers with the cheese mixture, squeezing the cheese gently so that it stays together.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Gently roll the peppers in the flour. (If the cheese and peppers are too warm and are falling apart, place in the freezer for 10 minutes). Coat the peppers in the egg batter by dunking and spooning the batter all around. Lift the pepper, and gently spoon off any excess batter hanging from the bottom. Place in the hot oil and fry until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Serve with Chile Relleno Tomato Sauce.
• Add the olive oil to a medium saute pan over medium heat. Then add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, cayenne and garlic, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute longer. Add the chicken stock and the tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool a few minutes. Mix in the blender for 10 seconds (the sauce will not be smooth). Add the cilantro, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and pulse just to blend.

VEGETARIAN CHILES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions; cook 5 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic; cook 1 min. Add water, potatoes and carrots; cover. Cook 10 min.; stir in zucchini. Cook, covered, 5 min. or until all vegetables are tender. Stir in tomato sauce and seasonings; simmer 3 min.
• Spoon into chiles; place in shallow baking dish. Cover.
• Bake 20 min. Top with cheese; bake; uncovered, 5 min. or until melted.

REAL CHILES 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, and place the peppers onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Cook under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, 8 to 10 minutes per side. When the peppers are about 80 percent blackened, place them a plastic bag, seal, and allow the peppers to steam as they cool, about 20 minutes. Once cool, remove the skins and discard. Cut a slit lengthwise into the side of each pepper, and remove seeds and veins. To reduce spiciness, rinse out any remaining seeds with water. Pat the peppers dry with paper towels.
• Mix together the shredded mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and Cheddar cheese in a bowl until thoroughly blended. Divide the cheese into 4 portions, and squeeze each portion lightly in your hands to make a cone shape. Insert a cone into the slit in each pepper, and pin the openings closed with toothpicks. Dredge each pepper in flour, dust off the excess, and place on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. Place the peppers in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
• To make sauce, blend the stewed tomatoes in a blender until pureed, and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook and stir for about 30 seconds, and pour in the pureed tomatoes, chicken broth, vinegar, oregano, cumin, black pepper, hot pepper sauce, and cinnamon. Reduce to medium-low, and simmer the sauce until reduced by half and thickened, about 20 minutes, stirring often.
• Preheat an oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C), and warm a platter in the oven.
• To make batter and finish the chiles rellenos, mix 1/3 cup flour with salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until the whites form stiff peaks. Lightly mix the egg yolk and flour-salt mixture into the egg whites to make a fluffy batter. Remove peppers from freezer and coat them in flour again; shake off excess flour, and dip each pepper into the egg batter, using a spoon to gently but completely coat each pepper with batter.
• Heat frying oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Gently lay the coated peppers into the hot oil, and fry on both sides until the batter is golden brown and the cheese filling is hot, about 5 minutes per side. Remove peppers to warmed platter while you finish frying. To serve, ladle a generous spoonful of sauce onto plate, and place pepper on sauce. Serve peppers hot with a dollop of sour cream.

EASY CHILE RELLENO EGG ROLLS

Steps:

• Lay a wrapper on a work surface diagonally so it resembles a diamond. Place a slice of green chile horizontally across the wrapper, 1 inch above the bottom point. Place a strip of Monterey Jack cheese on top of the chile.
• Fill a small bowl with water. Dip an index finger into the water and moisten the edges of the wrapper. Roll the wrapper up and over the chile and cheese, starting from the point closest to you. Bring in both sides, making sure to press firmly to seal the filling. Roll away from you and to enclose the yumminess inside. Repeat with remaining wrappers, chiles, and Monterey Jack cheese.
• Heat approximately 1/2 inch of oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Carefully lay a few egg rolls into the hot oil. Fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Repeat with remaining egg rolls.
• Transfer fried egg rolls to a plate lined with paper towels and let cool for a few minutes before serving.