The Magnum Opus of Chiles...

OK, now don't get skeert - We're gonna open with the mother of all chile dishes, the Relleno! This is one of the finest uses for great peppers and this is my take on an all time fave style.

You'll see that I'm offering the complete homemade version, but listen, if you don't wanna go whole hog right off the bat, just buy some sausage and some cheese and do the relleno part; just make sure you do the whole thing afore too long, hear? So, get you some of those HUGE, beautiful Poblanos I saw over at Grant and Christy's and get to stuffin', y'all!

;-)

REMEMBER: This is interactive as you want it to be, so if you got questions, ask 'em!

Eben’s Oaxacan Chiles Rellenos


Chorizo:

2 lbs pork butt
1 pound beef chuck

3 Tbsp salt
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp chipotle, flaked or ground
4 cloves garlic, fine diced
1 Tspn Mexican Oregano
1 Tspn ground black pepper
½ cup water

Grind the meat, add all ingredients to that in a non-metallic bowl.

Stuff into 1.5”/40mm hog casings.

Allow to hang and dry overnight.


Queso Blanco:

One gallon whole milk
1/2 cup lime juice
Salt to taste

Heat the milk in a non-aluminum pot on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until it looks like it’s just about to boil (DON’T let it boil!); temperature should be 185 degrees.

Add lime juice. The curds will separate from the whey and the mixture will look grainy, kind of like you’ve just thrown a bunch of corn meal into a pot of skim milk. Simmer for a few minutes.

Pour contents into a cheesecloth-lined colander and let it drain thoroughly: To save the whey to make ricotta, put the colander over a pot.

Sprinkle the curds with salt; go saltier than you normally would; the salt will drain from the cheese as it dries. Now is the time to add any herbs, spices or chopped chiles if you like.

Gather the curds in the center of the cheesecloth and tie the ends; hang the cloth on the faucet to drain for a few hours, (At least four hours, overnight is better.

Refrigerated, it keeps about the same as fresh milk.


Oaxacan Rellenos:

Sauté chorizo and allow to cool; combine with queso 50/50;
add ¼ cup fine diced roasted or sautéed almonds and set aside.

Heat 3 Tbsp of lard or pork fat in a sauté pan top medium heat.

Add 1 medium onion, diced; sauté onions until well browned.

Puree 6 medium tomatoes and add to onions.
Add:
½ tspn cinnamon
½ tspn ground black pepper

Raise heat to medium high and reduce to a thick tomato sauce consistency, then reduce heat to low.

Prep fresh Poblano chiles, and heat a skillet with at least 1” of oil to 350º F and fry the chiles for a minute or two until well blistered. Remove and cool chiles.

Stuff chiles with filling mixture and stitch with a tooth pick.

Separate the whites and yolks of 6 eggs; add ½ tspn salt to the whites and whip until they hold a stiff peak; beat the yolks into the whites until thoroughly blended and then beat in 2 Tbsps flour.

Set 1 cup of flour on a plate as a dredge.

Take each chile, roll it on the flour dredge, and then dip it thoroughly into the batter, and then fry about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Heat oven to 375 and place chiles on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes to heat thoroughly.

Bring tomato sauce to a low boil.

Ladle sauce into a bowl and place a relleno on top of the broth. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot!