Believe it or not, my first time eating chiles rellenos was not that long ago, and I’m a Mexican born and raised in Mexico in my late 20’s.
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That may be because where I’m from chiles rellenos are not that common. But it’s never too late to change one’s mistakes and try one of Mexico’s staple dishes, full of flavor and with many different ways to cook, according to your preferences.
Now bear with me through this whole process of making great chiles rellenos. It’s not particularly hard but it takes time and it can be a little tiring at some point, but the results are completely worth it.
Yes, that’s a sauce on top of a pepper. That’s how Mexican food is, nothing is spicy enough.
A Little Bit About Chiles Rellenos
Chiles Rellenos are a very versatile dish. They are basically stuffed peppers with a coat of egg and covered with tomato and serrano pepper sauce. You can stuff it with virtually anything but most of the times they have cheese or refried beans inside, so they can be a vegetarian option if you don’t add any meat to them.
My favorite side for chiles rellenos is red rice which I prepare very easily with onion, garlic, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. I add a little coriander to give it a punch of flavor.
And as with most of the Mexican food, you can eat them in tacos, with tortillas or by themselves.
Preparing chiles rellenos takes time but the overall result is one of the tastiest things that you can eat, and it may have two types of pepper, but it’s not spicy at all.
What You’ll Need
To serve 2 I used:
- 4 Poblano Peppers, these kind of peppers are large and not that hot. Pick the most even ones so they are easier to broil.
- About 200 grams of cheese. I used Mennonite cheese and ranchero cheese.
- One egg.
- 3 tomatoes.
- 3 serrano peppers (more if you want your sauce spicier).
- 1 clove of garlic.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Chiles Rellenos Step by Step
- Get your tomatoes and serrano peppers clean and put them on a saucepan with water on medium heat. Wait until the skin of the tomatoes starts to peel off, which should take a while.
- While that’s done, get your Poblano peppers clean and put them in direct fire (this is called “tatemar” in Spanish, which happens to be my favorite word in the world, a very Mexican verb).
- When your tomatoes and serrano peppers are ready, put them in the blender with one clove of garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. You can add a cube of tomato chicken stock cube to add more taste. Blend thoroughly and set aside in a saucepan.
- When your poblano peppers are completely black, put them in a plastic bag so they “sweat” and the skin is easier to peel off. Carefully peel the peppers with the help of a little cool water. And as usual, remove the seeds and vains of the peppers.
- Stuff the peppers with a little cheese, not that much as the cheese will melt and can make a mess. Secure the peppers with a toothpick or two if necessary.
- Separate your egg yolk and withe and place them in different plates. Whip the egg white until it makes a foam and put the yolk in, mix gently with a fork.
- On a large skillet heat enough oil to completely cover the bottom of the skillet.
- Cover your peppers with the egg white and yolk mix and put the peppers in the skillet. Cook until the egg us brown and completely done.
- Serve your peppers on a plate with rice on the side and cover your peppers with your sauce.
- Enjoy with corn tortillas.
Chillers Rellenos Step by Step with Pictures
- Get your tomatoes and serrano peppers clean and put them on a saucepan with water on medium heat. Wait until the skin of the tomatoes starts to peel off, which should take a while.
- While that’s done, get your Poblano peppers clean and put them in direct fire (this is called “tatemar” in Spanish, which happens to be my favorite word in the world, a very Mexican verb).
- When your tomatoes and serrano peppers are ready, put them in the blender with one clove of garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. You can add a cube of tomato chicken stock cube to add more taste. Blend thoroughly and set aside in a saucepan.
- When your poblano peppers are completely black, put them in a plastic bag so they “sweat” and the skin is easier to peel off. Carefully peel the peppers with the help of a little cool water. And as usual, remove the seeds and vains of the peppers.
- Stuff the peppers with a little cheese, not that much as the cheese will melt and can make a mess. Secure the peppers with a toothpick or two if necessary.
- Separate your egg yolk and withe and place them in different plates. Whip the egg white until it makes a foam and put the yolk in, mix gently with a fork.
- Cover your peppers with the egg white and yolk mix and put the peppers in the skillet. Cook until the egg us brown and completely done.
- Serve your peppers on a plate with rice on the side and cover your peppers with your sauce.
As you can see, one pepper is actually a lot of food, so you may want to start with just one and see if you can take a second one. It’s not hard at all but it will take some time to prepare. If you don’t have any rice you can use refried beans, and both corn and flour tortillas will taste good, although I much prefer corn for this dish.
Are you going to take a chance on this Mexican classic? I’m sure your family will enjoy the tastefulness of this dish. Don’t be surprised if you all need to take a nap right after eating!