Just made these for supper tonight with fresh "mozzarella" goat cheese.... They were wonderful.
Easy! Chili Rellenos
If you live somewhere other than the Southwest, see your grocer and beg them to stock fresh green chilies from the Southwest. They come in mild, medium, hot, and HOT! (I 'suppose' you could do this with jalapeños or banana peppers if you had to...
Of course if you are going to use jalapeños, you might just as well make poppers!)
6 whole large fresh green chilies
4 eggs
White cheese of your choice
High temp oil such as lard or peanut oil or butter (but lard, really)
Roast the chilies over flames, hot coals, or in a large skillet with oil where they can lay flat out. Roast them on all sides and keep turning until they look burnt and dark almost everywhere. Remove them from the heat to a covered dish or plastic bag so they can steam a little.
While you are doing this cut a lot of cheese into ¼ inch x ¼ inch x long as you can strips.
The eggs: At this point you can do one of two things with the eggs. The beautiful and more difficult way, or the quick and ugly but still delicious way. You decide.
Quick way: crack the eggs into a bowl and be ready to beat till very frothy later. You will find that sprinkling in 3 or 4 tablespoons of flower as you beat will help them hold their shape. Also, add salt for taste.
Traditional way: Separate the eggs and be ready to beat the egg whites till they form stiff peaks. Then fold in the beaten yolks and salt to taste.
The peppers should be cool enough to touch now, peal them and set them on a large plate where they all fit side by side. Make a small incision in the side of each pepper and stuff with cheese bottom to top.
Heat the oil in a very large skillet, large enough for all the chilies to lay side by side. Get it very hot but not smoking. Meanwhile…
Quick way: beat the eggs now adding the flower and salt. When they are as stiff as it looks like they are going to get, spoon half of them over the chilies on the plate. Slide the whole plate full into the hot pan undisturbed. Adjust temp if needed. When the eggs begin to set, turn them over 2 at a time or so and spoon the remaining eggs over them. Brown and serve.
Traditional way: Beat the egg whites and add the yolks and salt as per above. Dip each stuffed chili into the eggs and pull out slowly. They should coat evenly all around. They go straight into the pan to cook. Adjust temp if needed. Pour any remaining eggs over the top. Brown and serve.
Be sure to have brown beans and/or rice and tortillas to serve along side.
