Cheese In Chili Relleno: Melty, Gooey Goodness

Chile Relleno is a traditional Mexican dish of roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, coated in a fluffy egg batter, and fried to golden perfection. The cheese used in this dish can vary, with popular options including Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Asadero, and Queso Fresco. The peppers are first roasted to give them a smoky flavour and make them easier to stuff. They are then filled with cheese and dipped in batter before being fried. Chile Rellenos are typically served with a simple red or green salsa or wrapped in a tortilla with refried beans to make chile relleno burritos.

Roasting the peppers

Roasting on an Open Flame

Turn the heat on your gas stove to medium-high and place the peppers directly over the flame. Roast each side of the pepper for 1-2 minutes, rotating them to ensure a uniform roast. Place the roasted peppers in a damp cloth or a plastic bag to retain their flavour and let them steam for about 10 minutes. Once they have cooled, peel the skin off the peppers with your fingers or by gently scraping with a spoon.

Roasting Under a Broiler

Preheat your oven to broil and place a baking sheet lined with aluminium foil about 6 inches below the heat source. Place the peppers on the baking sheet and broil for about 10 minutes, using tongs to rotate the peppers to char all sides. Place the blackened peppers in a bowl and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam as they cool for about 15 minutes.

Roasting in the Oven

Preheat your oven to 400°F and place the peppers on a tray. Roast for 20-30 minutes, then remove them from the oven and place them in a plastic or paper bag. Let the peppers steam for about 10 minutes.

Roasting on a Grill

Produce a high flame on your grill and place the peppers directly onto the lightly oiled grates. Allow the skin to blacken and bubble for about 2-3 minutes, then flip the peppers and blacken the other side. Place the charred peppers in a plastic bag or bowl, cover, and allow to steam for about 10 minutes.

Once the peppers have been roasted and steamed using one of these methods, peel off the charred skin, make a vertical slit down one side of each pepper, and remove the seeds while keeping the stem intact.

Removing the skin

Broiling or Roasting in the Oven:

• Set your oven to broil or preheat it to 400°F.
• Cover a baking sheet with aluminium foil.
• Place the poblano peppers on the baking sheet.
• Broil or roast the peppers until the skin is blistered and blackened, turning them occasionally to ensure even cooking.
• Remove the peppers from the oven and cover them with aluminium foil or plastic wrap to let them steam for about 10 minutes.
• Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, use your fingers or a spoon to gently remove the charred skin.

Roasting Over an Open Flame:

• Turn on your gas stove to medium-high heat.
• Place the peppers directly on the grill or over the open flame.
• Roast the peppers for about 1-2 minutes per side, rotating them regularly to ensure even cooking.
• After roasting, place the peppers in a damp cloth or a plastic bag to retain moisture and flavour.
• Once they are cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skin with your fingers or a spoon.

Blistering in Oil:

• Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or pot to 360°F.
• Carefully place 2-3 peppers in the hot oil and turn them regularly until they are evenly blistered, about 1 minute.
• Remove the peppers from the oil and drain them on paper towels.
• Once they are cool enough to handle, rub off the blistered skin with your fingers.

Once the skin is removed from the peppers, make a slit down the middle of each pepper and remove the seeds and veins. At this point, you can start preparing your chile rellenos by stuffing the peppers with cheese and following the rest of the recipe instructions.

Stuffing the peppers with cheese

Now that your peppers are roasted, peeled, and slit, it's time to stuff them with cheese!

For this step, you'll need shredded or cut cheese. The type of cheese you use is up to your preference, but traditionally, chile relleno is made with Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, Chihuahua, quesillo, asadero, or queso fresco cheese. You can also use mozzarella, cheddar, or provolone.

Gently stuff each pepper with the cheese, ensuring you don't overfill them. You want to be able to close the slit in the pepper, so only add as much cheese as will fit while still allowing you to close the pepper. You can seal the slit with toothpicks if needed.

Some recipes suggest flattening the peppers slightly before freezing them to make battering and frying easier.

Once your peppers are stuffed, it's time to prepare the batter and fry them to golden perfection!

Coating the peppers in batter

• Prepare the peppers: Start by roasting or charring the peppers. This can be done by placing them under a broiler, on a grill, or directly over an open flame. Turning them frequently ensures even charring. Once charred, place the peppers in a plastic bag to sweat, which makes it easier to remove the skin. Make a slit down one side of the pepper, remove the seeds and veins, and stuff with cheese. You can use a toothpick to seal the slit and prevent the cheese from falling out.
• Prepare the flour coating: Spread some all-purpose flour on a plate. Roll each stuffed pepper in the flour, ensuring an even coat, and then tap gently to remove any excess. This flour coating will help the batter adhere better to the peppers.
• Make the egg batter: Separate the egg whites and yolks. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then, gently fold in the egg yolks, being careful not to overmix. The batter should be light, fluffy, and golden.
• Dip the peppers in batter: Using one hand, carefully dip each flour-coated pepper into the egg batter, ensuring it is completely coated. Work quickly to prevent the batter from dripping off the pepper.
• Fry the peppers: Gently place the battered peppers into hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry for about 3-5 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to gently turn them over.

By following these steps, you will achieve a delicious and crispy coating on your chili rellenos. The combination of the flour and egg batter creates a golden, puffed exterior that contrasts perfectly with the melted cheese and soft pepper interior.

Frying the peppers

First, you need to roast the poblano peppers in the oven or on a stovetop. You can also use an open flame if you have a gas stove. The peppers should be roasted until the skin is blackened and blistered. This usually takes about 10 minutes in the oven, or 1-2 minutes on a stovetop. Once the peppers are roasted, place them in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam as they cool, which will make them easier to stuff.

Next, peel the skin from the peppers, then cut a slit down the middle of each pepper to remove the seeds. You can now stuff the peppers with cheese. The type of cheese you use is up to you, but traditional options include Oaxaca cheese, Monterey Jack, and queso asadero. Make sure not to overstuff the peppers, as you need to be able to close the slit. You can use toothpicks to secure the edges if necessary.

Now you can start preparing the peppers for frying. First, heat some vegetable oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. You want the oil to be hot enough to fry, but not smoking. While the oil is heating up, prepare the batter. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and beat the whites until stiff peaks form. Then, gently add the yolks to the whites one by one, creating a fluffy mixture. Season with salt.

Next, set up an assembly line with a plate of flour, the bowl of batter, and the stuffed peppers. Carefully coat each pepper in flour, tapping off any excess. Then, dip the pepper in the batter, making sure it is coated on all sides.

Finally, it's time to fry the peppers. Place each pepper in the hot oil and fry for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer the fried peppers to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any excess oil.

Your chili rellenos are now ready to serve! You can enjoy them as they are, or with a simple red or green salsa.

Frequently asked questions