Chile Rellenos, hard to pronounce, easy to eat!

Chile Rellenos (pronounced "ra-ye-no") is one of those foods that not many people know how to pronounce, especially here in the Great Northwest, but also true back in New Mexico.  I am sure if you have ever been to any self respecting Mexican restaurant you have seen this on the menu, but not necessarily ordered for fear of pronouncing it incorrectly or because you just can't grasp what it is.  Let me break it down for ya.

Chile Rellenos are a dish that originated in Puebla, Mexico.  The name literally means "Stuffed Chile". Rellenos consisted of fresh roasted poblano, Hatch, Anaheim, or pascilla (occasionaly jalapenos, but would actually be considered a "popper" if used) peppers. The pepper is then stuffed with Oaxaca or Monterrey Jack cheese, and sometimes meats with rice in variation.  The pepper is then covered in an egg batter or coating of masa flour and fried.

In my opinion, some of the best rellenos I have had are at Pancho's restaurant (http://www.panchosmexicanbuffet.com/) in Albuquerque, NM.  My Aunt Marion says they taste canned, and she does make some delicious rellenos, but they just make my taste buds rock.

As discussed amongst my mother and myself, Japanese tempura batter, which comes out light and crispy, is a strong choice for the batter to use when making rellenos.  However, I did come across a recipe that uses beaten egg whites that look very much like a meringue to cover the peppers, then baked rather than fried!

Check this out:

Chile Rellenos (Ra-ye-nos)1 large can whole Ortega chile (1 pound can)
8 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, cut into equal portion sticks
6 eggs, at room temperature, separated
1/2 of one egg yolk
splash of white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

-Place salt and vinegar into mixing bowl.  Using a paper towel, wipe the inside of the bowl leaving behind a little salt to flavor the egg whites.
-Drain juice from the chiles and place on a paper towel.  Place one stick of cheese into each whole chile and place on baking sheet about three inches apart.

-Place egg whites into the bowl and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until medium-firm peaks are achieved. 

-Using a spoon, remove half of one egg yolk from the reserved yolks and add to the egg whites.  Carefully fold the yolk into the egg whites. 
-Scoop the egg mixture and place over each stuffed chile covering completely. 
-Place baking sheet into oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until the surface is dry, golden brown and hollow sounding when lightly tapped. 

-Remove chile with a spatula and serve immediately with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream.

These came out very light and fluffy, and a whole lot better for you than frying them.  I actually wolfed down two of them before I even thought about it.

All in all, this dish was very quick and easy.  I actually whipped up some "Mexican Style" rice to go along with this (the boxed kind since I was tired).  Not a bad little addition.

For Chile Rellenos, I would recommend a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.  It tends to have a bit of a "grassy" character that works well with vegetables and salads, and a high acidity that makes a great match for tomatoes, spicy foods, goat cheese, and other tart foods.

Alright, enough talk, go do it.

Thanks for reading and keep on eating.

-Chris