Stuffed Ancho Chiles Food

STUFFED POBLANO CHILES ("CHILES RELLENOS")

Steps:

• Sauce: Put the tomatoes, garlic and onion in a blender. Blend until smooth. In a medium saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Chile rellenos: Mix the cheese and oregano in a small bowl. Cut a slit through 1 side of the charred chiles and fill each chile with 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture. Close with toothpicks to hold the filling in place. In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the egg yolk and continue to beat for about 1 minute.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour in enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.) Dredge the filled chiles in flour until fully covered. Shake off any excess flour, then dip the chiles into the egg mixture, until well coated. Fry until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
• Arrange the chiles on a serving platter, spoon the sauce on top and serve.

STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the tomato halves flesh-side up in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, the confectioners' sugar, red pepper flakes and 2 teaspoons salt. Spread the mixture evenly over the tomato halves. Roast the tomatoes until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Heat a large skillet over high heat and add half of the canola oil. When it begins to smoke lightly, add half of the poblanos and cook to tenderize without making them mushy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peppers to a baking sheet, cavity-side up. Repeat with the remaining poblanos and canola oil. Season with salt and set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the thyme. As the oil heats, the thyme will fry and become crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the thyme sprigs, then season with salt and cool. Add the bell peppers to the same skillet and season with salt. Cook over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the peppers brown slightly but are still slightly firm, 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the peppers and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, heat until it begins to smoke lightly, and add the garlic and onions. Reduce the heat to medium. Season with salt and cook until the onions are lightly brown and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onions to the bell peppers.
• Quarter the oven-dried tomatoes and add to the pepper and onion mix. Chop the basil leaves and stir into the filling along with the red wine vinegar and mozzarella. Pull the thyme leaves off the stems and add to the mixture. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and melted butter. Stuff each pepper halfway with the filling, and then top with the breadcrumb mixture.
• Heat the peppers in the oven to brown the tops, 10 to 12 minutes. Arrange on a platter and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar to serve.

POBLANO AND PEPPER JACK-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH ANCHO CHILE CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• For the poblano and pepper jack-stuffed chicken breasts: Roast the poblano peppers over an open flame until completely charred, transfer to a plastic bag and seal for 10 minutes. Peel the charred skin, remove all the seeds and cut each pepper in half.
• Meanwhile, put chicken breasts on a cutting board and pound with a meat mallet to 1/4-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil, heat, then add the chicken and cook until the first side is golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden-brown, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the ancho chile cream sauce: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan and cook until reduced by 1/3. Add the Cajun spice and ancho chile powder and simmer for another minute or so. Keep warm.
• When the chicken is done, cut each piece into 2 equal halves. Lay one piece in the centers of 2 dinner plates and top each with 2 poblano halves, 1 piece of pepper jack, and another piece of chicken. Pour half of the Ancho Chile Cream Sauce over the tops and serve immediately.

STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS

Steps:

• Turn a gas stove burner to high. Hold poblano peppers directly on the flame with a pair of tongs and turn until skins are charred. Let peppers cool. Leaving peppers as close to whole as possible, remove skins, seeds, membranes, and stems.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; stir in onion and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef; cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in chili pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place peppers in a nonstick casserole dish. Insert a slice of Cheddar cheese and a slice of Monterey Jack cheese into each pepper. Spoon some ground beef mixture into each pepper. Place the remaining beef on top of the peppers, and cover with enchilada sauce. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese on top of the peppers. Bake until peppers are bubbly and fragrant, another 45 minutes.

POTATO- AND CHORIZO-STUFFED ANCHO CHILES

Steps:

• Rinse chiles, then cover with cold water in a bowl and soak, weighted with a sieve (to keep submerged), until completely rehydrated (most will turn a brighter red), about 8 hours. Do not drain chiles.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove 1 chile from soaking liquid and, working over chile bowl and sieve, cut a slit down one side with scissors and let interior liquid and loose seeds drain into sieve. Carefully cut out seedpod, leaving stem intact and letting any easily loosened seeds fall into sieve, then discard seedpod. Repeat with remaining chiles, arranging seeded chiles, cut sides up, in 1 layer in a 13- by 9- by 2-inch (3-quart) baking dish.
• Reserve 1 cup chile-soaking liquid for sauce. Turn chile seeds out of sieve into a shallow baking pan and spread evenly, then toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until dry, fragrant, and a few shades darker, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool seeds in pan on a rack, then finely grind in grinder (you will have about 1 tablespoon).
• Purée tomatoes, including juice from can, in a blender with reserved soaking water, ground chile seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth, then transfer to a 3-quart heavy saucepan and boil, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened slightly and reduced to about 2 cups, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1/3-inch cubes (about 2 1/2 cups). Cook in a 3-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender but not falling apart, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
• Stir together potatoes, chorizo, cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then fill chiles generously with stuffing (about 1/2 cup each; slit will not close over it). Pour sauce around (not over) chiles, then cover dish with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling all over, 35 to 45 minutes.

CHICKEN STUFFED POBLANO CHILES

Steps:

• While using gloves, wash the poblano chilies and using a sharp paring knife, cut a slit lengthwise from stem to tip of chile leaving stem in tact.
• Carefully cut away the seeds and membrane rinse the inside of the chilies and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, add chopped onions and garlic.
• Cook until onions begin to turn golden, stirring frequently.
• Add the diced chicken, sprinkle with seasoning salt and cook until chicken is almost cooked through; add tomato and mushrooms, continue to cook until chicken is done.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• With remaining tablespoon olive oil, lightly oil the outside of the chilies and place them cut side up in casserole dish.
• Pack the chicken mixture into chilies and push cheese into mixture along the slit.
• Cover dish, place in preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes; remove cover the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking.
• Serve on top of a bed of saffron rice.

STUFFED ANCHO CHILES

Steps:

• Wipe the dried chiles clean and carefully cut a slit lengthwise. Shake out the seeds and carefully tear out any of the obvious interior ribs. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and fry the chilies briefly until they begin to puff and color slightly. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• In the same skillet, fry the sliced onion until it has colored. In another pot, bring to a boil the orange juice, vinegar, sugar (piloncillo is the coarse brown Mexican sugar that can often be found in truncated cone form), salt and pepper; cook briefly at a lower temperature then remove from the burner.
• Add the chiles and drained onions to this sweet-sour marinade, making sure they are all submerged, and let macerate, preferably overnight. Remove and drain the chiles, reserving the marinade.
• The drained chiles may then be filled with a variety of ingredients: freshly made guacamole; potato salad; tuna salad; etc. They may be presented atop a bed of lettuce, topped with crumbled farmer's cheese and drizzled with a little of the reserved marinade, if desired.

STUFFED ANCHO CHILES

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except ancho peppers.
• Make small lengthwise cut in side of each ancho pepper; remove and discard seeds.
• Fill peppers with egg mixture, adding about 1/2 cup to each.

ANCHO CHILE CHIPS

Steps:

• Heat oil to 375 degrees F. Fry potatoes, in batches and drain on paper towels. Immediately toss with ancho powder and salt.

PUFFED ANCHO CHILES WITH GUACAMOLE

Steps:

• Slit the ancho chiles carefully down one side, leaving the chiles intact. Discard all the seeds. Heat the canola oil in a skillet until not hot but not smoking. Add the chiles and fry for 1 minute or until they puff. Drain on paper towels.
• Discard all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of the oil in the skillet.
• Sauté the onion in the reserved oil in the skillet. Add the brown sugar, orange juice, vinegar, water, salt and peppercorns to the skillet. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Pour over the chiles in a bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for several hours to 12 hours.
• For guacamole, combine all guacamole ingredients.
• Drain chiles and spoon guacamole into them. Garnish with cilantro.

TUNA- AND POTATO-STUFFED ANCHO CHILES

Steps:

• Bring 3 cups water and piloncillo to boil in medium saucepan. Add white vinegar, canela, and salt; simmer until piloncillo has dissolved, stirring often, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add chiles and soak until softened, occasionally pressing to submerge, about 1 hour; drain. Pat chiles dry; slit lengthwise and remove seeds.
• Cook red-skinned potatoes in pot of boiling salted water until skewer easily pierces centers, about 35 minutes. Drain. Cool, peel, and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Season tuna with salt. Grill until light brown at edges but pink in center, about 3 minutes per side. Cut tuna into 1-inch cubes. Whisk together 1/4 cup oil and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. Fold in potatoes and tuna. Season with salt. Fill chiles with tuna-potato mixture.
• Whisk remaining 1/4 cup oil, apple cider vinegar, and cilantro in medium bowl. Season with salt. In large bowl, toss greens with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette to coat. Divide salad among plates. Top with chiles and avocado slices; drizzle with some of remaining vinaigrette.
• *Mexican raw sugar shaped into hard cones. Smaller chunks are sometimes labeled panocha. If neither is available, substitute and equal weight of packed dark brown sugar.
• **Mexican cinnamon sticks with a delicate, floral flavor.

POTATO AND CHORIZO STUFFED ANCHO CHILES

Steps:

• Rinse chiles. Cover with cold water in a bowl. Weigth them down with a sieve (to keep chiles submerged) until completely rehydrated--about 8 hours. Do not drain. Reserve 1 C of water from the soaked chiles.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove one chile at a time from the water. Working over the bowl, slice the chile on one side with scissors. Let seeds drain into sieve(do not discard seeds). Carefully cut out the seedpod. Discard pod. Repeat with all remaining shiles.
• Place seed chilis, cut side up in a baking dish (13 x9).
• Place chile seeds on a shallow cookie sheet and toast in the oven about 8-10 minutes until dry and fragrant.
• Cool seeds and then grind in a grinder (you should end up with about 1 T).
• Puree tomatoes including their juice with the reserved chile water, chile seeds and 1/2 t salt until smooth.
• Transfer to a saucepan and boil, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thickened, about 5-7 minutes
• Peel potatoes and cube them. Cook in water until tender but not falling apart. Drain in cold water.
• Stir together potatoes, chorizo, cheese and salt.
• Fill each chili with about 1/2 C mixture.
• Pour sauce aroung chiles (not over)
• Cover with foil and bake 35-45 minutes until bubbly all over.

CHILES ANCHOS RELLENOS DE QUESO (CHEESE-FILLED ANCHO CHILES)

Steps:

• Make the caldillo con crema:
• In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, onion, and garlic and blend until smooth. For a smooth sauce, push through a fine-mesh strainer if needed.
• In a large skillet, over moderate heat, melt the butter. Add the tomato caldillo mixture and fry, stirring occasionally, until it changes color and reduces slightly.
• Just before serving, gently warm the crema Mexicana in a saucepan, then whisk in the tomato caldillo mixture, bring to a simmer, and season to taste with salt.
• Make the chile rellenos:
• In a medium saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil, along with the piloncillo, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf.
• Heat a comal or cast-iron skillet over low heat and dry-roast the chiles until just tender. Transfer to the boiling water, then turn off the heat and let the chiles soak for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chiles from the water and using a small, sharp knife, make a lengthwise slit down one side of each. Carefully remove the seeds and, if possible, the skin. (The stem of the chile should remain attached, so if the skin is difficult to peel, leave it on.) Season the insides of the chiles with salt, then stuff with the cheese, dividing it equally.
• In a large sauté pan, over moderately low heat, melt the butter. Add the chiles and cook, flipping gently, to melt the cheese.
• Spoon the caldillo con crema onto a platter or individual plates, top with the chiles, and serve immediately.

ANCHO CHILE RELLENO

Steps:

• Purée tomatoes, onion, and garlic with water and 3/4 tsp salt in a blender until smooth. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids.
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add tomato mixture (it will spatter) and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly and a pool of oil forms around bubbles, about 20 minutes. Stir in enough of boiling-hot water to reach the consistency of a thin broth. Season with salt. Keep warm over low heat.
• While sauce simmers, slit 1 side of each chile lengthwise and remove seeds and veins, keeping chiles intact. Fill each chile first with about 3 Tbsp packed Oaxaca cheese and then with about 2 Tbsp queso añejo and close chiles around filling as well as possible.
• Put flour in a wide bowl and carefully dredge chiles in flour (make sure filling doesn't fall out), gently knocking off excess, and reserve on a plate.
• Heat remaining cup oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
• Meanwhile, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat yolks briefly to loosen, then fold into whites with a rubber spatula gently but thoroughly.
• Working in batches of 3, dip floured chiles, one by one, in egg batter to coat, transferring to skillet. Fry chiles, turning once with a slotted spoon, until batter is golden all over, about 1 minute. Transfer chiles as fried to warm tomato broth, turning to coat, then let stand 2 minutes so they absorb some of broth. Serve chiles with broth.
• Note: Look for chiles that are soft and pliable enough not to need soaking.
• Chiles can be stuffed and coated with flour 1 day ahead and chilled.
• Tomato broth can be made 1 day ahead and chilled (covered once cool). Bring to a bare simmer before frying chiles.

CHILES ANCHO RELLENOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slit an opening in each ancho from stem to tip, being careful not to tear the skin; carefully remove seeds and ribs, and discard.
• Combine the water, vinegar, piloncillo, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add anchos; cover, and let stand 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
• Spoon filling into each chile; arrange in a baking dish. Bake chiles until heated through, about 15 minutes. Bring crema and onion to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl; stir in cilantro. Pour sauce over anchos, and serve.

POTATO STUFFED ANCHO CHILES

Steps:

• Rinse chiles and soak in 1 quart of hot water until they soften and plump up a bit.
• Drain and reserve 2 cups of this soaking liquid.
• Carefully make a lengthwise slit in the chiles without removing the stems and devein and remove seeds.
• Combine the reserved soaking liquid with the vinegar, salt and pepper and soak the chiles again in this new mixture at least for 2 more hours.
• Sautee the onion until transluscent, add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper, cooking until potatoes are golden brown.
• Let cool for a while and mix in the cheese.
• Stuff the chiles with this and place on a rectangular baking dish along with the last soaking liquid.
• Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes or until cheese has melted.