Chiles Rellenos

Ingredients

• 6 poblano peppers
• 2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 white onion, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• oil for frying

Instructions

1. Roast poblano peppers over an open flame or under a broiler until charred on all sides
2. Place charred peppers in a plastic bag for 5 minutes to steam and loosen the skin
3. Peel off the charred skin carefully under cool running water
4. Make a slit along one side of each pepper and gently remove seeds, keeping the pepper intact
5. Stuff each pepper with 1/3 cup of cheese through the slit
6. Heat oil for frying in a deep skillet over medium-high heat
7. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold in egg yolks
8. Coat each stuffed pepper lightly with flour, then dip into the egg mixture
9. Fry peppers for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown, then set aside
10. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a separate pan and sauté minced garlic
11. Add tomato sauce, onion halves, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pan
12. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes, then remove onion halves
13. Pour sauce onto serving plates and top with fried peppers
14. Serve hot with rice or warm tortillas

Notes

• Use a gas burner or grill to char peppers evenly for best results
• The plastic bag steaming method makes peppers easier to peel without tearing
• Prepare the sauce while peppers are roasting to save time
• Fry peppers just before serving to keep the egg coating crispy
• For a lighter version, bake coated peppers at 375°F for 15-20 minutes instead of frying
• Leftover chiles rellenos can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated gently in the oven