Traditional Fresh Mexican Chile Rellanos

We harvested the peppers from the garden a few weeks ago and I went on the lookout for a simple recipe to use our peppers in. I found this recipe over at My Humble Kitchen and it looked really good. I decided to roast my own tomatoes rather than using the canned variety (since I've got only a million of them around here...) and made a few other minor adaptations to the recipe. It was a big winner.  Next time I make this (hopefully very soon) I'm going to make this Cilantro lime brown rice to go with it.

Traditional Fresh Mexican Chile Rellanos

Printable Recipe

*Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
4 Large sweet bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange would be my preference) or Poblano peppers
7 small/medium ripe tomatoes
2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs (fresh are best)
Coarse sea salt
extra virgin olive oil
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
Sour Cream/Avocado, for serving, if desired

DIRECTIONS:
Wash the tomatoes and peppers. Place tomatoes aside. Place peppers on a baking dish and broil 5-8 minutes per side or until blackened and charred. The second side will take less time than the first. Once done, cover peppers with a damp cloth in a dish until cooled.

Meanwhile prepare tomatoes by slicing in half and placing on a baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Broil tomatoes 3-5 minutes per side or until skins barely begin to char. Again the second side will be quicker. Watch them closely so they do not over cook. Once the tomatoes are done, take them from the oven. Remove their skins, they should peel away easily. With a sharp knife, gently dice the tomatoes and place in a saucepan. Heat until warm and add salt and pepper to taste.

Separate the egg yolks from the whites and place the whites in a small bowl. By hand or using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. In a separated bowl, whisk the egg yolks until light and frothy. Gently fold in the egg yolks into the egg whites until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

Heat 1/2" of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan.

Once the peppers have cooled, cut the tops off and remove their skins and seeds. Stuff them with a cheese mixture of both cheddar and mozzarella. Gently lift them and coat them with the egg mixture, giving them a good coating. When olive oil is hot, fry the peppers in the oil until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Set aside and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Serve the Chile Rellanos on a bed of diced tomatoes, garnished with sour cream and avocado, if desired. This cilantro lime brown rice would be a delicious side dish.

Recipe Source: Adapted from a recipe found at My Humble Kitchen