Chile Rellenos

[Mfamom]

I grew up eating Mexican Food in colorado.  Living here, the mexican food is "not like home".  LOL.  the other night, we ate at a Mexican place,probably THE WORST dinner I've ever eaten.  My bil ordered chile rellenos which used to be one of my favorite meals.  It was dis.gusting.  they stuffed the chiles with cheese and chicken, but basically put them in pie crust.  it was like a chile pot pie.   

so, Monday, I made Green Chile, burritos etc.  was delicious!! 
Last night, my ds was asking about the chile rellenos again.  I honestly am not sure how to make them.  I followed a recipe I found online, but they still weren't "like home".  I'm thinking in colorado, they may wrap a tortilla around them, then put the batter on them and fry. 
anyone have ideas/knowledge? 
I just remember the outside being a little chewy, a little cripy, definitely not just the batter around them.

[nameless]

Hmmmm - chile rellenos are just a stuffed chile that is coated in flour, then an eggy batter, and then deep fried. A good batter and deep frying in hot enough oil are key. Authentic ones won't be wrapped in a tortilla then fried or in a pie crust (egads!)

I hate to say this...but maybe what you had in Colorado wasn't authentic? So it might have been a different strategy that was unique to that restaurant and that's why you can't find a recipe?

Good luck
Adrienne

[Mfamom]

oh, but it was authentic to Colorado! I'm still not sure that they were wrapped in a tortilla, trying to figure it out.   
the ones I made last night were okay, they just weren't like what I used to get growing up, YK? 

the ones wrapped in pie crust at the restaurant were disgusting!!!

I did find some recipes today that say wrap in a tortilla, dip in batter then fry. 

My batter was really pretty good.  I used a chilled stainless bowl, separated the eggs, beat the whites, folded in the yolks. 

[nameless]

Right authentic to Colorado

Ok - so you might try googling "Chile Relleno Burrito" and "Chile Relleno Chimichanga" --- both of those would be the regular stuffed chile, wrapped in a tortilla, and then fried or baked or a little of both, covered in a sauce maybe too.  The burrito one would probably be a flour tortilla and the chimichanga type one might be a corn tortilla.

Good luck!
Adrienne

[Mfamom]

thats funny too I was going to mention that my ds got a chimichanga at it was also cooked in stupid pie crust!

Chimichangas in Denver are huge burritos (flour tortilla) stuffed with whatever you want, usually shredded beef, beans, cheese.  then fried.  Not sure if they are battered first.  Everything in denver is smothered with green chili, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese.  OMG.

My green chili turned out pretty good the other night.  MY dh doen't love really spicy food, but my ds does.  I tried to keep it somewhere in the middle. 

[nameless]

oh ick! pie crust? EGADS!  Reminds of the "mexican food" I had in Germany. It was HEINOUS. The salsa was chunky ketchup and they served Doritoes as what we would have as tortilla chips! it was all just SO GROSS!

I've seen green chile chimichangas --- which is a chile relleno with a corn tortilla blanket dipped in batter then deep fried.

Adrienne

[Mfamom]

oh ick! pie crust? EGADS!  Reminds of the "mexican food" I had in Germany. It was HEINOUS. The salsa was chunky ketchup and they served Doritoes as what we would have as tortilla chips! it was all just SO GROSS!

I've seen green chile chimichangas --- which is a chile relleno with a corn tortilla blanket dipped in batter then deep fried.

Adrienne

lol, the place we had dinner the other night claimed to have "hand rolled" tortillas.  They were the most disgusting tortillas I've ever eaten.  they reminded me of stale, microwaved cardboard. 
I have no clue how the place stays in business. 

When I first went to college (MO), I ordered nachos at a bar.  They served Doritos with melted american cheese and a few green peppers on top.  I couldn't even eat them. 

I'm going to call one of my aunts in denver and see if I can find out if they know how a  standard Chile Relleno dinner is made. 

[ajasfolks2]

I've only made homemade chili rellenos once or twice -- not sure which of the recipes I used (no notes kept then . . . as I do now). 

HUGE amount of work, plus the grease smell in house for days (no exahust fan in kitchen, only "recirc").

Do you have an Uncle Julio's or a Chevy's near?  Both of those have rellenos on the menu.  They are what I would call semi-authentic.

A REAL one will have Mexican cheese inside the chili pepper -- usually queso blanco I think.

And the red sauce will be fairly hot but clear/smooth (not chunky).  Some sauces are simply onion, tomato, and ckn broth.  Others are more complex with seasonings -- chili powder/cayene to taste.

The batter should be not-too-thick.  (If it's like the thickness of a twinkie, it's too much --    )  In my batter I add a pinch of freshly ground roasted cumin (roast the cumin in toaster oven or frying pan) -- then use mortar and pestle to grind or mini-mincer/coffee grinder.

HOT fat so that the frying is quick and the result isn't a grease sponge (ahem, Twinkie).

Great rellenos are fantastic.

Oh yeah, and I oven roast my own peppers first -- then pull off the charred skin & remove most seeds (leaving some seeds will leave more heat) . . . so, more time there too.

[ajasfolks2]

Some will use poblano peppers, others will use Anaheim.

Anyone who uses a regular green bell pepper needs to be whacked with a molcajete!

[Mfamom]

here's what I did (didn't roast my own)
used whole canned green chilis.  Stuffed with monterry Jack cheese.  rolled in flour.  beat 3 egg whites in cold bowl until frothy.  folded in the yolks. 
Dipped the floured chile in the batter and fried them. 
The outside was a little spongy/not quite right, but not horrible. 
i poured green chili over top

Green chile:
I sauteed garlic, added 3 boneless pork chops.  browned them/cooked almost through.  cut into small peices.  put back in the pot.  added several cans of chopped green chilis, a handful of chopped jalapeno peppers, water and added some store bought tomatillo sauce.  I let it simmer almost all day.  at the end I added some pepper, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch that was mixed well in cold water to thicken a bit. 

[Mfamom]

yeah, next time I'll roast my own.  Just didn't have any on hand.  I wasn't planning on making that, but dh had a dinner meeting and ds begged me to try to make them.

[nameless]

Some will use poblano peppers, others will use Anaheim.

Anyone who uses a regular green bell pepper needs to be whacked with a molcajete!

I'm anxiously awaiting fresh picked poblanos at the Farmers Market!  Not for a while though

Adrienne

[Macabre]

DH makes these about once a quarter.  He has perfected a BAKED one. Yes, it's great.  We make vegetarian ones, too, with the crumbles (so not just cheese).

There's a TExas recipe at a few key restaurants that uses  raisins and pecans with the ground beef rellenos. WOWZA.  So good.  He makes those. 

[nameless]

DH makes these about once a quarter.  He has perfected a BAKED one. Yes, it's great.  We make vegetarian ones, too, with the crumbles (so not just cheese).

There's a TExas recipe at a few key restaurants that uses  raisins and pecans with the ground beef rellenos. WOWZA.  So good.  He makes those.

you must post baked chile rellenos recipe

Adrienne

[GoingNuts]

DH makes these about once a quarter.  He has perfected a BAKED one. Yes, it's great.  We make vegetarian ones, too, with the crumbles (so not just cheese).

There's a TExas recipe at a few key restaurants that uses  raisins and pecans with the ground beef rellenos. WOWZA.  So good.  He makes those.

you must post baked chile rellenos recipe

Adrienne

Yes!!!

My farmer's market had gorgeous poblanos last summer; I bought some and then didn't have time to make them.  I'd much prefer to bake than fry them - I have
"fear of frying".