The Stuffed Chile is a dish originating from the city of Puebla, mainly consisting of poblano peppers “with something inside.”
Consumed and prepared in both Mexico and Guatemala, although their preparation and filling vary in each country.
In Mexico, whole pieces of chile are roasted directly over the fire (or using a comal), to peel and easily remove the seeds and fill them, usually with cheese, then wrapped in a layer of beaten egg, fried, and served with tomato and onion sauce seasoned with oregano.
It is customary to accompany them with white or Mexican rice (cooked with tomato purée, giving it a red color).
The variety of chile is relevant because they need to be large enough to contain the food, as traditionally, not very spicy pepper varieties are used.
There are many varieties of fillings, the most popular being: mashed potatoes with tuna, melting cheeses with ground meat, picadillo , cheese, and tuna mixed with carrots and peas.
In some parts of Mexico, if filled with tuna and consumed cold, they are not covered in eggs and fried, and are called peperoncini capones.
We tried it at Isla Mujeres at the restaurant El Chefsito across from our apartment Casa Coral.
The poblano pepper is also used as a base for the famous chocolate hot sauce:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Slow Cooking, Boiling, Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 4 poblano peppers
- 7 oz Oaxaca cheese (or similar, cut into sticks)
- 3 eggs
- to taste chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic
- 24 oz tomato pulp
- 1 to taste onions
- to taste vegetable oil
- to taste ground cinnamon
- to taste oregano
- to taste salt
Steps
Roast the peppers in a pan or on a griddle, then remove the skin, seeds, and veins.
With a very sharp knife, make a lateral cut from the top to the bottom end of each pepper, fill with cheese.
For the sauce:
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the onion.
Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, garlic, and cinnamon to the pot and cook for about 1 minute. Adjust the salt.
Add the chicken broth mix and oregano to the pot, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Strain the sauce to remove solid residues.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, add the yolks one by one and beat again for a few minutes.
Dip each pepper in the beaten eggs and fry in hot oil.
Serve drizzled with the sauce and, if desired, with sour cream.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How is chile relleno prepared in Guatemala?
In Guatemala, it consists of a filling made of mashed potatoes, with tomato, onion, garlic, celery, finely chopped carrot to which previously fried ground meat is added.
It is also dipped in beaten egg and fried.
Accompanied by a tomato sauce, parsley, and slices of raw onion.How is chile relleno prepared in the United States?
In the United States, chiles rellenos are usually filled with asadero or Monterey Jack cheese, but they can also be found with cheddar or other cheeses, and with ground meat.
What kind of cheese is Oaxaca cheese? What other cheese can I substitute it with?
It is a typical string cheese originating from the town of the same name. The cheese is presented as a kind of ball (bola) consisting of strands of semi-soft dough with a delicate and buttery taste.
In terms of texture and usage, Oaxaca cheese is similar to our mozzarella.What does a poblano pepper look like?
The shape is similar to a bell pepper, with the difference that the section narrows as you proceed towards the terminal part.
If left to ripen, it becomes dark red, sometimes almost black, gains medium spiciness, and is usually dried: in this case, it is called Chile Ancho, or simply Ancho.
