Tomato Rellenos Recipes

CHILES RELLENOS IN TOMATO BROTH

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Place the chiles on a foil-lined broiler pan; broil, turning, until the skins char, about 8 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool, about 10 minutes.
• Peel the chiles. Slice each open lengthwise, about 1/2 inch from the top to 1 inch from the bottom. Remove the seedpod, then rinse to flush out any remaining seeds. Blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Carefully stuff each chile with a stick of cheese.
• Puree the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a blender until smooth. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Add the tomato puree, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cilantro sprig and fry, stirring, until thick, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broth, reduce the heat and simmer until thickened but still brothy, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt. Strain, discarding the solids, and keep warm.
• Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 1 to 1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360. Beat the egg whites, 2 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon salt with a mixer until stiff but not dry. Beat the yolks in a separate bowl until combined, then gently fold them into the whites.
• Overlap the sides of the slit in the chiles to enclose the cheese, then dredge in flour, working with two chiles at a time. (Coat any tears with flour.) Using tongs, dip and roll the chiles in the egg mixture to coat. Fry in the hot oil until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer with a large skimmer or 2 spatulas to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet, letting the excess oil drip back into the pot. Repeat with the remaining chiles and egg mixture. Place in the oven on the lined baking sheet to cook off any excess oil, about 5 minutes.
• Ladle the tomato broth into 4 shallow bowls; place 2 chiles in each. Garnish with cilantro.

TOMATES RELLENOS

Steps:

• Skin the tomatoes, first by cutting out the core with a sharp knife and making a '+' incision on the other end of the tomato. Then place in a pan of boiling water for 10 seconds, remove and plunge into a bowl of iced or very cold water (this latter step is to stop the tomatoes from cooking and going mushy).
• Slice the tops off the tomatoes, and just enough of their bases to remove the rounded ends so that they will sit squarely on the plate. Keep the tops if using small tomatoes, but discard those large tomatoes. Remove the seeds and insides, either with a teaspoon or small, sharp knife.
• Mash the eggs with the allioli -or the mayonnaise, if using- salt, pepper and parsley. Stuff the tomatoes, firmly pressing the filling down. With small tomatoes, replace the lids at a jaunty angle. If keeping to serve later, brush them with olive oil and black pepper to prevent them from drying out. Cover with plastic wrap and keep.
• For large tomatoes, the filling must be firm enough to be sliced. If you make your own mayonnaise, thicken it by using more egg yolks. If you use shop-bought mayonnaise or allioli, add white breadcrumbs until the mixture reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes.
• Season. Fill the tomatoes, pressing down firmly until level. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then slice with a sharp carving knife into rings. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

CHEESE-STUFFED POBLANOS WITH TOMATO SAUCE (CHILES RELLENOS DE QUESO)

Steps:

• Roast chiles:
• Roast chiles on their sides on racks of gas burners (1 or 2 per burner) over medium-high heat, turning with tongs, until skins are blistered and slightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes. (Or broil on rack of a broiler pan about 2 inches from heat.) Immediately transfer to a large bowl and cover, then let stand 20 minutes.
• Make tomato sauce while chiles stand:
• Purée all sauce ingredients except oil with 11/4 teaspoons salt in a blender until smooth, then strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids, then discarding them.
• Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet or heatproof casserole (preferably one that can go to the table) over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Carefully pour in sauce and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes (sauce should still be thin). Season with salt.
• Stuff and fry chiles:
• Carefully rub off skins from chiles, leaving stems attached. Cut a slit lengthwise in each chile with kitchen shears, then carefully cut out seedpod (including attached ribs) without tearing chile (hotter chiles smell stronger when cut). Wipe chiles clean with a paper towel if necessary.
• Stuff chiles with cheese and enclose filling by overlapping slit slightly if possible, then transfer to a plate. (Use a toothpick to mark any hotter chiles if desired.)
• Heat 1/2 inch oil in another 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer.
• While oil heats, beat egg whites with 1/8 teaspoon salt using an electric mixer until they just hold stiff peaks. Whisk yolks with 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then gently fold in whites.
• Put flour in a fine-mesh sieve and dust chiles, turning them to lightly coat all sides.
• When oil is ready, dip chiles, 1 at a time (hold chile by stem), in egg coating, spooning it over chile to cover completely, then fry, turning once, until golden on all sides (lap oil over any lighter areas), 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chiles with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Meanwhile, reheat sauce over low heat. Lay chiles in sauce to serve.

TOMATES RELLENOS - TAPAS

Steps:

• Cut the tops off the tomatoes and maybe a slice off the bottom so you can stand them flat.
• Remove the insides of the tomatoes with a spoon or knife.
• Mix the eggs, aioli, salt, pepper and parsley.
• Fill the tomatoes. Replace the tops, sprinkle with some olive oil and black pepper.
• tips: if the mixture seems too soft you might have to add some bread crumbs. If you are using mayonnaise instead of aioli, season it with garlic.

CHILES RELLENOS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place chiles on a comal or dry hot skillet and roast over high heat turning as skins blacken.
• Place chiles in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap allow to steam 15 minutes. While chiles are steaming, make tomato sauce.
• Tomato Sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook only until the onion is soft. Add pureed tomatoes and chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer over low heat while you finish the rest of the recipe.
• Remove charred peels from chiles.
• I use two different methods for removing the seeds depending on the type of chile. Anaheim- Slice off the top 1/2 inch of chile on the stem end (horizontally) removing the seed placenta and any loose seeds with your fingers. Poblano- Carefully slit each chile lengthwise along one side; remove seeds and veins (you may find it easier to use the paring knife to cut out the seeds and then remove them with your fingers).
• Fill each chile with several strips of cheese, roll in flour, and set aside.
• Beat egg whites until stiff; slightly beat yolks and fold into whites.
• Heat oil in a large skillet to 360F-400°F.
• Dip floured chile into the egg batter and spoon batter over to coat chile entirely.
• Slide chile into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes on underside while spooning hot oil over the top. Turn and cook again until both sides are golden. Remove to a paper towel to drain.
• You can serve the chiles now by placing 1/6 of the sauce on the plate and laying the chile on top and garnish with sour cream and cilantro or --.
• Carefully place the rellenos into the tomato sauce and simmer gently to heat thoroughly (about 15 minutes). Do not cook too long or batter will begin to break away.
• Serve with some of the sauce, and garnish with a dab of sour cream and a few cilantro leaves.