But I used to have a big problem with chiles rellenos. You see, my chiles rellenos were sad, pathetic things: they reminded me somehow of self-exploding dark green rats with the tails still attached, their little cheese guts squishing out of their mushy little chile bodies. Uh-oh, perhaps I shouldn't mention dead rats in a food blog, but I think you get the picture. Every time I see a recipe for chile relleno casserole, I think it really started off as a chile relleno recipe gone terribly, terribly wrong. And believe me, my previous efforts to create the perfect chile relleno have resulted in a mess of a "casserole" more times than I care to admit. (That's what I get for fleeing the kitchen at every opportunity instead of watching my mamá cook—tsk, tsk, tsk! Poetic justice, indeed.) Of course, my mamá sometimes did make them picadillo style with ground beef with tomatoes, onions and spices sometimes, but cheese-filled chile rellenos are my, and it appears, almost everybody's favorite. So here I am, facing down my chile relleno fears, challenging myself that if I am my mother's daughter, not only will I make one that tastes sabroso, but it must look beautiful, just like hers. So I decided to ask two very opinionated abuelitas—grandmas—how they make their superb chiles rellenos. And after annoying them to tears, I think I have finally found two idiot-proof ways of making them right. Abuelita #1 told me to roast them and to put them in a plastic bag and covering them loosely with a kitchen towel so they can "cook" for no more than 10 minutes or so before taking them out and peeling off their charred skin. Test first before taking them out of the plastic bag. They should feel tender to the touch but not mushy. If they are mushy, then it's best to make something else out of them (like the aforementioned rat guts casserole which no one will eat). Abuelita # 2 instructed me to parboil the Poblanos in rapidly boiling water for about 6 minutes. Then, taking a pair of metal tongs and the holding the chiles, one at a time, roast them over the gas burner of the stove. Quickly peel off the skin as fast as you can and store them in a plastic bag, covering them loosely with a kitchen towel until they are ready to be stuffed. The chiles will be t When I mentioned to each Abuelita the way the other roasted her chiles for the perfect chile relleno, they were aghast. Looking like opposing bookends, they threw up their hands and exclaimed a loud "¿Qué? ¡Así no se hace!—What? You don't do it like that!" By the look on their otherwise kindly faces, I saw that these two seriously doubted the other's sanity. To the Mexican Grandma, just the thought of making chiles rellenos differently from the way she was taught, well, don't you know that it borders on heresy? Then para acabarla de fregar—to really mess things up, I them invited them over to the house. Remind me to never again put two Mexican abuelitas in the same kitchen—suffice to say that it was not pretty. In the end, it really doesn't matter which method you choose. You will have the perfect chile relleno—they are a joy to behold and to eat as you savor every hot delicious cheesy little bite. And yes, this time they looked and tasted just like my mamá's. Un millon de gracias to Abuelita #1 and Abuelita #2 for sharing your knowledge of la cocina mexicana. You have made this prodigal casserole-making daughter very happy. Only just don't grab each other by las greñas (the mane) if I am not there, okay? I want to be there to enjoy the show. The Fighting Abuelitas Chiles Rellenos with Tomato-Garlic Salsa Unlike roasted Anaheim chiles, which are firm fleshed and hold their shape, Poblano chiles are thin skinned and need special care in the roasting process. It is worth testing to see which Abuelita's method for roasting the Poblanos you prefer. Either way, make sure to choose the "straightest" chiles you can find—not the "bent" ones that are hard to roast. If you can't find any Poblano chiles, then it is perfectly okay to use an Anaheim chile instead. (To learn more on how to roast chiles, including Anaheim, click here.) Make sure that you peel every last bit of the charred skin so the flour and egg batter will stick to the chile. Also, prepare the Tomato-Garlic Salsa beforehand and keep it warm on the stove as you are preparing the chiles. As I have mentioned many a time, measurements need not be precise, so this is a guideline. What you need: A non-stick frying pan A pair of metal tongs if you are roasting over the gas burner of the stove. A plastic bag and a kitchen towel A couple of plates 2 medium-size to large-size bowls Blender or food processer A platter to hold roasted chiles rellenos Paper towels to drain off fat after frying A cheese grater An egg beater of a whisk A thin knife Large spoon or spatula Ingredients: Instructions: Tomato-Garlic Salsa This super easy salsa, adapted from Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook, has no chile in it. If you want to make it hot, just put a little fresh jalapeño in the salsa when it is cooking. This recipe is for the minimum amount needed, so feel free to add more tomatoes and garlic if you need more salsa. Ingredients: Two or three large juicy tomatoes 2 cloves garlic 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper to taste About one tablespoon vegetable cooking oil One jalapeño pepper (optional) Coarsely chop the tomato and garlic and whirl in a blender or food processor. Set aside. Then heat the cooking oil in a saucepan until it is hot. Quickly pour the tomato mixture into the sauce pan. Add salt and pepper, jalapeño and bay leaf. Stir the salsa and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Continue cooking the salsa while you are making the chiles rellenos. When the chiles rellenos are done, fish out the jalapeño when you are ready to pour over the plated chiles rellenos. If you feel that it is too thick, put a little bit of water in it and heat it up again. When serving chiles rellenos I like to keep it simple (and low carb) with a bowl of pinto bean soup, garnished with fresh chopped cilantro, green onion and ninced serrano chiles, and mashed avocado on corn or flour tortillas.
CHILES AND CHEESE go together like a slice of lime with a Corona beer, like Cheech goes with Chong. Now imagine combining these two flavors when you stuff a fat Poblano chile with a great tasting melting Mexican cheese like Queso Enchilada, Asadero or Oaxaca. And it gets even better when you dredge it in a fluffy egg batter, frying it until it is golden brown, and finally topping it off with a fresh tomato and garlic salsa. You know, I can just feel my lips just pucker with the eager anticipation of chomping down on the creamy, hot enchantment of this beloved Mexican dish.
ender-firm without being mushy. It was fun watching the skin popping and practically peeling itself off as soon as the Poblano touched the flame. This was my preferred method.
Poblano chiles (about 1 or 2 per person)
Eggs, with the whites separated from the yolks (about 1 egg per 2 Poblanos)
Grated Mexican cheese that melts easily such as Enchilado, Asadero or Oaxaca, enough to stuff the chiles. You can substitute Jack or Mozzarella cheese with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese thrown in to kick up the flavor.
Cooking oil
A pinch of cream of tartar (optional)
A pinch of salt
1 cup or more of all purpose flour
Tomato-Garlic Salsa (recipe to follow)
Take the Poblanos and roast them like Abuelita #1 or Abuelita #2—the choic
e is yours. The object is to roast them, but not to the point that they cannot retain their shape. Then, open a slit along one side of the Poblano and remove the seeds, but do not remove the stem. Take a generous amount of cheese and stuff the chiles with it (but do not overstuff.)
Sprinkle some all-purpose flour on a plate. Lightly cover the chiles with flour. Set aside.
Now, take a bowl and beat the egg whites and pinch of cream of tartar with a whisk or egg beater until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat all the egg yolks together. Then, fold the yolks into the egg whites.
Pour a generous amount of cooking oil (about 3/8 inch deep) into the frying pan and place over a medium-high heat.
While the oil is heating, dip the chiles into the egg batter to cover. Test the 
oil to see if it is hot enough by putting a bit of egg batter in the oil. If it sizzles, when gently slide the chile in. Immediately lower the heat to medium. When the bottom of the chile is golden-brown, about 1 or 2 minutes, carefully flip the chile to cook the other side.
Remove from the chile from the frying pan and place it on a platter with paper towels on it to drain off excess fat.
To serve, plate the chile rellenos and pour some hot Tomato-Garlic Salsa over them. Let them sit for a minute or two and serve immediately.
2.19.2009
Fighting Mexican Grandmas
2.10.2009
Eating Fire Without Getting Burned
Really, her secret is no gran misterio. Just start with the mildest chile and build on from there. In time, you will taste the seductive sweet flavor lurking just beneath the searing heat of the chiles. You will feel it calling to you, enticingly beckoning you to eat and eat and eat while savoring every delicious bite. Only then will you understand why it is possible to eat fire without getting burned. Los Chiles Although many of the world's cuisines use chiles in their dishes to delicious effect, it is in Mexico where the chile is given its fullest expression. One can honestly say that it is the heart and soul of Mexican food. Whether fresh or dried, roasted over a comal, or blended with other ingredients, they create an explosion of taste that I could only liken to an exciting rollercoaster ride of flavor. With almost 200 varieties of chiles, it is impossible to list them all, but please give these a try and start eating a little fire of your own. RED BELL PEPPER (not pictured): Very Mild. With a Scoville Unit (heat index) of zero, this is the perfect "training wheel chile" for little kids and nervous adults who don't eat chiles. More popular in Spanish and Italian food, it nevertheless deserves a spot in Mexican food because of its great color and its lovely sweet flavor. And besides, it is a chile after all, ¿no qué no? MANZANO (Mahn-zah´noh): Hot. This lovely orange or red hottie is almost apple-like in appearance and in flavor. Only no Granny Smith can burn you down to the ground as deliciously as this one. About 2 ½ in length and almost as wide, its firm, thick flesh is perfect in salsa fresca and in cooked salsas. (Note: All chiles vary in heat intensity, even within the same variety. What is mild to me may not be mild to you. If you are not used to eating chiles, then please have some dairy product handy, such as milk, sour cream or yogurt, in order to smother the heat. Rice or bread can help, too. Don't drink water. It just doesn't help.)
In almost every Mexican family there is someone whose love for hot spontaneous combustion-inducing chile peppers surpasses belief. And in my family, that distinction belongs to my sister-in-law who I will call María, a woman whose love of hot chiles is downright infernal. She cannot leave the house without carrying in her purse a baggie of fresh chiles de árbol or some habañeros, two of the deadliest little chilitos known to man. Whenever I see her pop them into her mouth like candy, I feel the same horrified fascination that one feels when one watches a fire-eater at a circus. You know, she looks terribly smug and oh-so-cool—never breaking into a sweat or clutching her throat while crying out me enchilé! me enchilé! She simply looks at me with that beatific smile of hers. . . . 
ANAHIEM: Mild to Medium. A firm fleshed chile about 5 to 6 inches long, it is excellent for chiles rellenos and other dishes. A nice, not too sweet green flavor. It turns red and is sweeter to the taste when it is ripe. There are two kinds of Anahiem chiles: The mild Anahiem is still mild enough for those who want a little heat in their chiles without having to call the paramedics. When ripened and dried, it is called California Chile. The hotter dried version is called New Mexico Chile.
GÜERO (Goo-eh´roh): Mild. This is the chile my mamá used in her salsas for us kids. When I was a child, I thought it was hot, but tolerable. Now, this light colored and rather small chile hardly makes a dent. It is mild, but spicy enough to compliment Mexican food. 
POBLANO (Pob-lah´noh): Medium-Mild. Fat and dark green, but pointy at the tips, this is the traditional chile for chile relleno. Although it is comparatively mild, its spicy and flavorful flesh will make you want to roast it and add it to almost any Mexican dish, whether it is a soup or a salad, a taco or almost anything you can think of. When roasted, it doesn't hold its shape as well as the Anahiem chile, but I think you will agree that its flavor more than makes up for the extra care that goes into making an authentic chile relleno. 
JALAPEÑO (Hah-lah-peh´ngoh): Medium. This is the chile most Americans associate with Mexican food. It is a good all around chile for salsas, chopped up in soups, casseroles, with cheese. The list goes on and on. Smoked jalapeños are called chipotles. 
SERRANO (Sehr-rah´noh): Medium-Hot. This dark green and rather thin chile is about 2 ½ inches long has the same basic uses as the jalapeño. Do not think that it is just a hot version of the jalapeño—it has a taste all its own. I sometimes like to put one in the pot while I am cooking my beans. 
DE ÁRBOL (Deh Ahr´bohl): Hot. Don't be fooled by its shrimpy size. It carries a hot little sting that is tantalizing and addicting. Do as my sister-in-law does and kick your food up a notch by nibbling on this little stick of dynamite. It makes an excellent dried chile for fiery hot chile salsas and other sauces. 
HABAÑERO (Hah-bah-ngeh´roh): Extremely Hot. Beneath its innocent bell-like face lays the heart of a killer. This muy matón of chiles with the sweet, fruity taste is very high in beta carotene--and an excellent truth serum if you suspect that you have a no-good mentiroso (liar) of a boyfriend. Just drop this little bomb in his salsa to find out. It is also available dried.
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