Chili Rellenos

Ingredients:

Makes two, large baking dishesPoblano Peppers and Stuffing:

• 24 large poblano peppers
• 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• All-purpose flour 
• 1 large onion: wrapped in foil with a few pats of butter (put on grill with peppers to caramelize)
• Shredded Chicken - (Optional) - marinade a day beforehand to grill with poblanos

Sauce:

• 2 cans can Mexican-style diced tomatoes with chiles
• 2 cans Hatch green(or red) enchilada sauce
• 1 can water
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock (or caldo de pollo)
• Cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• Fresh basil
• Fresh oregano
• Corn Starch – (to thicken if necessary)

Batter

• 2 teaspoon salt
• 10 egg whites
• 10 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-n-half
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 -3 cup oil for frying
• Salt, pepper and other stuff

Directions:

Blacken Peppers

• Put wrapped onions on grill
• Preheat outdoor gas grill to high
• Grill peppers on high until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered:
  • ~ 8 to 10 minutes per side.
• Take onions off grill just before peppers
• When the peppers are about 80 percent blackened:
  • Put in sealed plastic bag allow the peppers to steam as they cool
  • ~30 minutes.
• Remove the skins and discard.
• Make a slit lengthwise into the side of each pepper, and remove seeds and veins.
  • Note - Reduce spiciness by rinsing out any remaining seeds lightly with water. 

Make the Sauce:

• Add oil in pot
• Sauté Garlic & Chopped Onion until translucent (onions)
• Add all Sauce ingredients
• Reduce to medium-low
  • Simmer the sauce until reduced by half and thickened
  • ~20-30 minutes, stirring often.
• Blend in pot with immersion blender or add to stand-alone blender in batches. 
  • Blend till sauce-like

Stuffing:

• Combine  in bowl
  • Cheese
  • Shredded chicken 
  • Caramelized onion - finely chopped
• Line baking dishes with wax or parchment paper
• Divide the cheese into a portions for each pepper
  • Squeeze each portion lightly in your hands to make a cone or funnel shape.
• Insert a cone into the slit in each pepper
• Dredge each pepper in flour
  • Dust off the excess flour
• Place into baking dishes with parchment paper
• Put peppers in the freezer for at least 30 minutes (will help immensely with cooking)

Batter:

• In two mixing bowls:
• 1) Add egg yolks and 1/4 cup of melted butter
  • Add salt & pepper and season (a bit) 
  • Beat with egg beater briefly until smooth 
  • Add approx 2 cup flour to a bowl while beating, until very thick

• 2) Beat the egg whites until the whites form stiff peaks
  • Mix in egg yolk combination
  • Beat until combined

Rellenos:

• Remove peppers from freezer
• Heat frying oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers
• Coat each in flour again
  • Shake off excess flour
• Dip each pepper into the egg batter
  • Use a spoon to completely coat each with batter when in 

Fry or Freeze (Bake Later)

1. Fry (pancake heat) on both sides until the batter is golden brown and the cheese filling is hot,
   • ~4 minutes per side.
   • Ladle sauce and serve
2. Freeze:  Fry (pancake heat) on both sides until the batter is golden brown and the cheese filling is hot,
   • ~4 minutes per side.
   • Add to baking dish
   • Cover in sauce
   • Saran over a few times
   • Write directions on outside and freeze
     • Reheat uncovered for 20 minutes at 375 (check on it and test)
     • When done, let stand a few minutes and serve