Chile Rellenos De Queso

Many of you have consumed a snack form of this dish known as " Jalapeno Poppers" without ever knowing where they came from. If you should want to make them you can simply follow the steps in the note wrtten at the bottom of this recipe. It may be a good idea to throw the stuffed chilies in the freezer for a few minutes so they can firm up before adding the breading.

Ingredients:

6 each poblano or Anaheim chiles

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

3 large ripe tomatoes

1/4 small yellow onion

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cups grated Queso Chihuahua (Monterey Jack or medium
sharp cheddar cheese can be substituted)

three eggs, separated

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

oil for frying

Steps:

1.  Roast, and peel the chiles. Make a lengthwise slice in each one, being careful not to break it, and remove the seeds and membranes. Soak the chiles in water to cover with 1 tablespoon salt and vinegar for 20 minutes. rinse, drain and set aside.

2.  In a blender, purée the tomatoes, onion and garlic, then strain. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet, add the tomato purée and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon salt, bay leaves and the pepper and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin with up to 3/4 cup of water. Set aside.

3.  Fill each chile with up to 1/2 cup of the grated cheese and set aside.

4.  Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then stir in the yolks one at a time. Spread the flour on the plate, turn each chile in the flour to coat lightly, and dip into the beaten egg, so that the chile is completely coated. Toss the chiles in the breadcrumbs, and reserve.

5.  Heat your deep fryer to 350°, or heat oil into a thick bottomed saucepan to use in place of a deep fryer.

6.  When hot, add the chiles, one or two at a time, and fry until lightly browned. Drain on absorbent paper.

7.  Before serving, heat the tomato sauce and arrange the chiles carefully so that each is almost covered with sauce. Cover and simmer five minutes.

Note* To make Jalapeno Poppers: Exchange 2 dozen fresh  jalapeno peppers for the chilies used in this recipe, reduce the shredded cheese to 1 1/2 cups and add 8 oz cream cheese to the cheese mixture. Some even like to add 1/4 cup chopped, cooked bacon to the mixture and just follow the steps as written.