Why this recipe works chiles rellenos (cheese-stuffed poblano chiles) are on the menu at virtually every Mexican restaurant. They always sound so good but in reality are often soggy and bland. This version comes to the rescue with a delicate and crispy coating for the poblanos, a deeply flavorful sauce, and plenty of comforting cheesiness. Broiling the chiles on a baking sheet for a few minutes was the best route to getting peppers just soft enough to stuff and fry without being mushy. Our tasters voted for mild, soft Muenster cheese in the filling. The beer batter coated the peppers just enough, creating a light, crispy, coating that enhanced what was inside. For the sauce, a mixture of tomato sauce, chicken broth, and spices, bolstered with the smoky, rich sauce from chipotles in adobo, was just right. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more. We prefer a mild lager for this recipe; nonalcoholic lagers will also work.
SERVES: 4 to 6
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
SAUCE:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Salt and pepper
CHILES:
- 6 (4-to 5-ounce) poblano chiles
- 8 ounces Muenster cheese cut into 12 (1-inch) cubes
- 6 (4-inch) wooden skewers
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups (5 ounces) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Salt
- 1½ cups beer
- 3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
FOR THE SAUCE:
- Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, tomato sauce, adobo sauce, and bay leaf and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook at vigorous simmer until reduced to 2 cups, 12 to 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf, stir in lime juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
FOR THE CHILES:
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Evenly space poblanos on sheet and broil until skins just begin to blister on first side, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip poblanos and continue to broil until skins just begin to blister on second side, about 3 minutes. Set poblanos aside until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Adjust oven temperature to 200 degrees.
- Peel off any loose skin from poblanos, if desired. Working with 1 poblano at a time, leaving stem intact and starting at stem end of pepper, make 3-inch-long vertical incision down 1 side of chile. Use kitchen shears to cut away interior seed bulb, then use spoon to scoop out and discard
bulb and seeds. (Some tearing may occur, and it’s OK if you don’t remove all of the seeds.) - Place 2 cubes Muenster inside each poblano. Overlap poblano opening and thread with skewer to seal. (Use 1 additional skewer per chile if necessary.) Allow top of skewer to remain exposed by at least ½ inch for easy removal.
- Place ½ cup flour in shallow dish. Combine remaining 1 cup flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Whisk beer into flour mixture until smooth.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line rack with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures 2 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees.
- Working with 3 poblanos at a time, dredge poblanos in flour, shaking gently to remove excess. Holding each poblano by its stem, dunk in batter to evenly coat and then transfer to hot oil. Fry until golden and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes, turning frequently for even cooking. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 350 and 375 degrees.
- Transfer fried poblanos to prepared rack and let drain for 30 seconds. Season poblanos with salt, remove skewers, and transfer sheet to oven to keep warm. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining poblanos and batter. Serve with sauce.
