Chile Rellenos

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Originally posted by carlton pierre

Ort, I'm amazed any place has one Salvadoran restaurant, let alone two. I'd love to hear about them and your experience.
Awaiting anxiously,

carl reitz

Here's 5 (in San Francisco) for you to choose from. Enjoy: http://phonebook.superpages.com/yellowpages/C-Salvadorean+Restaurants/S-CA/T-San+Francisco/

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Originally posted by enginecapt

My rellenos are always a hit. I received the recipe from an Orange County, CA restauranteur shortly before his retirement.

Among the best I've had were at a little roadside dump in Costa Mesa (service counter inside, tables outside). Have no idea where it was but I do recall it was next to a McDonald's with a big kiddie play area.

My mom was from Michoacan Mexico and she made Chile Rellenos so different than what I have ever had. She used a pasilla chile and roasted it, peeled it then coated it with flour and dipped it in whipped egg whites...then she stuffed it with cotija mexican cheese and the she fried it and stuck it into a pot. If she had a lot of left over cheese she would dip that into the egg white and fry it and put it into the pot which had tomato and onions, like soup. It was so delicious. I only managed to make that dish once and only because I had my mom on the phone every step of the way. She always cooked a giant pot of about 15-20 chile rellenos. The day I made mine I only made four and it took me almost the day to do it. What I would give for some chile rellenos the way my mom made.

quote:

Originally posted by Marta2005

My mom was from Michoacan Mexico and she made Chile Rellenos so different than what I have ever had. She used a pasilla chile and roasted it, peeled it then coated it with flour and dipped it in whipped egg whites...then she stuffed it with cotija mexican cheese and the she fried it and stuck it into a pot. If she had a lot of left over cheese she would dip that into the egg white and fry it and put it into the pot which had tomato and onions, like soup. It was so delicious. I only managed to make that dish once and only because I had my mom on the phone every step of the way. She always cooked a giant pot of about 15-20 chile rellenos. The day I made mine I only made four and it took me almost the day to do it. What I would give for some chile rellenos the way my mom made.

Marta--My favorite chile relleno spot in San Francisco (La Rondalla) serves them smothered with a tomato sauce full of large pieces of onion and bell pepper. It's not exactly soupy, but not far from that. I love the sauce because I can mix most of it with some rice and scoop that up with corn tortillas after I eat the chiles. Yummy!

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The last time I had one was the winter of '68 at a Mexican restaurant on S. Congress in Austin near St. Edwards U. with a particularly enchanting dark-haired beauty as my dining companion. I couldn't finish it and the quantity of grease I took in kept my stomach on edge all night. Despite my intentions when I go into a Mexican restaurant, I always find something else on the menu that I'd rather take a chance on.

This is so ironic, because some of the very best chile rellenos I have ever had are from an old-time Mexican restaurant on South Congress in Austin, the sometimes gloried and sometimes despised Matt's El Rancho. In 1968, however, they hadn't moved to South Congress yet, so that can't be where hermitt4d had his lousy one.

El Rancho's relleno is notable for the pecan-and-raisin garnish on top, definitely not standard Tex-Mex fare. Since my mother ate a lot at El Rancho when she was pregnant with me, my love for the place goes beyond all reason. It's still wildly popular, more than 50 years after it opened.

They make some awesome chile rellenos here in Albuquerque at Western View. We get them on take-out there any time someone visits from out of state. Another good spot is Los Cuates...but IMHO you get more quality when you eat in house there. I definately prefer hatch chiles but anaheim will do, and a nice mix of cheddar/jack cheese. These babies are labor intensive to make right, and the flour/egg mixture is critical. I gotta peruse my notes to find the best batter mix I made...then try to remember to post it later. Next time I have about 4 hours to kill, think I'll be making a nice big batch.

quote:

Originally posted by yumbo

Hey Ya'll -

I've had Chile Rellenos in California. They're basically the elongated peppers stuffed with cheese, batter dipped and fried until they surrender into a flattened and barely-contained gooey state. Then I've had the Tex-Mex rellenos, which are made from a much more robust and spherical pepper and filled with all kinds of meats and cheeses.

Then recently I was in New Mexico, and the chile rellenos I got looked like corndogs. What is up with that?

Can someone give me a quick 101 on Mexican cuisine? Do these New Mexico chile rellenos represent another school of Mexican cooking?

In my experience there are basically two types of rellenos which originate from different areas of Mexico. One type has the chile battered and deep fried, the other is egg wrapped and pan-fried. Poblanos are the chile of choice here, but if good quality Poblanos are not available, Anaheims are also quite common. Fillings can be simple mexican cheeses, meat or mixtures of all. Large diced potatos are also often added to the filling.

Here in San Angelo, we are fortunate to have many good mom and pop tex-mex restaurants with excellent rellenos of both types. Makes it kind of hard to get past them on the menu!!!!!

I love the poblanos. Some are hot, but I prefer the mild. I like the cheese inside to be thick, and tangy cheddar. (for Petes sake no Velveeta or cheese whiz!) I like the batter that resembles tempura, and stays crisp, not soggy. Some rellenos are drowned in sauce. I prefer sauce (thick) on the side with no meat in it, and mild with a teeny bite of chipotle) I do not like the plain egg batter. It should have flour in it...one place in Alamosa, Colorado has frozen rellenos. Horrible ! They are coated in what seems like corn flakes...and the peppers are too over cooked..I have to say, some of the best rellenos by far came from Tia Juanas in Roswell, NM, and Ritas in Taos NMex, alto the latter is a tiny hole in the wall....Rita knows her stuff ! I have made my own rellenos. They are worth the trouble. And the peppers being roasted at outdoor markets are absolutely addictive ! I watch them being roasted, and hear the seeds popping...what a rush ! Viva good rellenos.

Of course, not all chiles rellenos are battered and fried. (For example, see this one--filled with brisket--from Avila's, in Dallas, Texas.)

A well-known Mexican example is chiles en nogada, a Pueblan specialty in which poblanos are filled with a spectacular picadillo (of beef, pork, cinnamon, cloves, raisins, nuts, etc.), baked (unbattered), then topped with a puree of walnuts and crema, garnished with pomegranate seeds. I'm usually not a chile relleno fan (because so many interpretations of the dish are poor); but when chiles en nogada are done right, they're one of my favorite Mexican dishes.

Scott

Scott, that sure does look and sound good.

Mexican food does not get that refined around Knoxville, TN

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I had a good relleno in Harlingen, TX last night at Sauza's. Pobalno pepper stuffed with ground beef(i grew up eating cheese stuffed so still a bit hard to get used to)a crispy beef taco, cheese enchilada, rice and beans. Good salsa, great pico de aguacate (diced avacado, onions, tomato, cilantro).

Meal was large enough that I brought home most of the rice and beans plus the cheese enchilada. Dinner and lunch for the price of one.

Paul

I had a fabulous Green Chile Relleno Burrito today, a Santa Fe autumn special. Long whole green Hatch chile lightly fried with a bit of cheese somewhere, then covered with a little red chile and wrapped in a tortilla. The long chile was mighty warm (spicy) and quite a treat. I'd go for more.

OK, Rellenos are my favorite prep. for New Mexico Chiles....... Here's our simple recipe. Slit open a nice roasted and peeled chile, remove the seed pod leaving the stem on, insert a length of sharp cheddar to fit the pepper,seal this piece of heaven up with a tooth pick. Roll these in an egg wash,then a good tumble in some Ritz cracker crumbs which were hammered into crumbs. Put into a hot skillet with with oil and brown quickly. Do not over cook, let the Chiles be the star of the show!

Let me mention two places with excellent, but very different chile rellenos. First, the Buffalo Grill in Houston serves one for breakfast stuffed with sausage and cheese, battered, and covered with a fried egg and green salsa. They use Anaheim peppers, two of them. It'll get you going on a Sunday morning.

The second is at Matt's El Rancho Grande, a long time Austin institution on South Lamar. Theirs is stuffed with ground beef and white cheese, lightly battered and covered in sour cream, pecans and raisins. You probably wouldn't think raisins and pecans on Chile Rellenos would work but they've been making them that way for over fifty years and its the best relleno I've ever had.

spamlamb:

Just curious, what are the two restaurants in Colorado you would recommend?


Some notes from a gringo relleno lover from Colorado. Rellenos are usually the staple I use to gage quality of Mex-fare in any place that serves them. I have tried them in probably 30-50 different restaurants in the Denver area alone. Not all restaurants bother including them on the menu, partly - I suspect - due to the relative difficulty in making them well. There are only 2 of those 30-50 restaurants where I would order them again (and again, and again...)

quote:

Originally posted by cyrano

quote:

The last time I had one was the winter of '68 at a Mexican restaurant on S. Congress in Austin near St. Edwards U. with a particularly enchanting dark-haired beauty as my dining companion. I couldn't finish it and the quantity of grease I took in kept my stomach on edge all night. Despite my intentions when I go into a Mexican restaurant, I always find something else on the menu that I'd rather take a chance on.

This is so ironic, because some of the very best chile rellenos I have ever had are from an old-time Mexican restaurant on South Congress in Austin, the sometimes gloried and sometimes despised Matt's El Rancho. In 1968, however, they hadn't moved to South Congress yet, so that can't be where hermitt4d had his lousy one.

El Rancho's relleno is notable for the pecan-and-raisin garnish on top, definitely not standard Tex-Mex fare. Since my mother ate a lot at El Rancho when she was pregnant with me, my love for the place goes beyond all reason. It's still wildly popular, more than 50 years after it opened.

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Originally posted by Legran22

quote:

Originally posted by cyrano

quote:

The last time I had one was the winter of '68 at a Mexican restaurant on S. Congress in Austin near St. Edwards U. with a particularly enchanting dark-haired beauty as my dining companion. I couldn't finish it and the quantity of grease I took in kept my stomach on edge all night. Despite my intentions when I go into a Mexican restaurant, I always find something else on the menu that I'd rather take a chance on.

This is so ironic, because some of the very best chile rellenos I have ever had are from an old-time Mexican restaurant on South Congress in Austin, the sometimes gloried and sometimes despised Matt's El Rancho. In 1968, however, they hadn't moved to South Congress yet, so that can't be where hermitt4d had his lousy one.

El Rancho's relleno is notable for the pecan-and-raisin garnish on top, definitely not standard Tex-Mex fare. Since my mother ate a lot at El Rancho when she was pregnant with me, my love for the place goes beyond all reason. It's still wildly popular, more than 50 years after it opened.

I have the same feeling for Matt's El Rancho. Nothing bad, but nothing really notable except for the Chile Rellenos. The sour cream-pecan-raisin topping is absolutely delicious. Makes you wonder while other TexMex restaurants don't serve them this way. I go to Matt's just for the Rellenos. Matt's El Rancho was originally located on First Street on Town Lake just two blocks east of Congress where the Four Season Hotel is now located. They sold the land and moved out to South Lamar and built a new restaurant, sometime in the 80's, as I recall.

Well, I thought I'd pass on my recent visit to an 'authentic' Mexican restaurant in St. Augustine, FL.

I must confess, I love good Mexican food. It shouldn't be fiery hot of it's own accord, like Tex-Mex in Texas is. My thoughts about this is that they only use absolute heat to cover a poor recipe and preparation. If I want it hotter, I always ask for some Salsa mas Picante, a concoction usually made in the kitchen by the cook by some semi-secret recipe involving roasting chilis and adding garlic and onion. A delightful picker-upper. If it's real good, I'll spoon it over everything on the platter, and damn the consequences I'll endure later.
But, to me, good Mexican food is flavorful, spicy, but not scorching. It will leave your tongue intact, but tickle your taste buds with knowledge of possible disaster. My favorite dish is a chicken enchilada, a tamale, and a chili relleno. With rice and beans, of course. All this accompanied with a cold Negro Modello, and preceded by a fresh pico de gallo (preferably) or a salsa and tortilla chips.

At this particular establishment, the chips and salsa were acceptable, although the salsa was a bit sweet. It lacked any real 'bite'. The beer I ordered was good and icy cold, but delivered sans glass. I had to ask for a one. It came with a lime wedge implanted into the bottle, a practice I find deplorable, a truly gringo contrivance.
I ordered lightly, an enchilada, taco and chili relleno. The waitress was loath to change anything on the menu, it seemed that they were hard wired to the menu as it was. There was no chicken enchilada available with a relleno, it seemed. So, I settled for a beef enchilada.

When the main course arrived, it came on two dishes. One contained a beef taco, the larger an enchilada and a pile of what appeared to be hamburger smothered in Velveeta cheese sauce. I asked the waitress what the pile of stuff was, and she said it was a chili relleno.

"I don't believe so. A chili relleno is a work of art. A poblano pepper, seeded, stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese or a savory Mexican cheese, dipped in an egg batter and lightly fried, producing a wonderous fluffy and tangy treat, then covered with a mild red sauce and sprinkled with grated cheese. This resembles something the dog would ralph up," I soliloquized.

"Oh. Well we make them like this. We put a pepper on the plate, add meat, and cover it in cheese," she said, turning and walking away.

My friend told me to send it back. I replied it would do no good, as they obviously hadn't a clue about 'authentic' food. And, being as it had been 16 hours since I had eaten, I decided to eat the mess anyway. The 'enchilada' was simply a corn tortilla stuffed with hamburger, then covered in a white cheese sauce, very sweet at that. The taco was comparable to Taco Bell. I never did find evidence of a 'pepper' under the pile of soggy hamburger that comprised the relleno. The best part of the meal was the Negro Modelo.

I have had the Velveeta Relleno experience 3 times now. Twice in GA (Jefferson and Attapulgas) and the above in St. Augustine, FL.
The restaurateur in Attapulgas told me that he tried traditional type fare, but the locals pretty much demanded sweet and smothered in con queso. Everything had con queso on it, even the tamales and enchiladas. There wasn't a savory red sauce with bell peppers and onions to be found there. No mole either.

May as well stuff the Chili with steak strips $ Cheese whiz and call it a Cheese steak Chili Relleno whiz Wit...............

Relleno discussions are so odd to me, because my part of Texas (between Abilene and Lubbock - you might be thinking that's far west, but it's actually not far from the geographical center of Texas) completely defies these statements about Texans using poblanos.  In all of the years I've lived and eaten Tex-Mex here(born and raised here, lived up and down the East before coming home for the last 18 years), I've never been served a poblano in rellenos. Even when you get a BAD relleno, they're anaheims, roasted and peeled, and can tip toward the eggy version (which I like if they're done very, VERY well) and the fried version, which I prefer.  Generally cheese-stuffed, sometimes ground beef & cheese, generally covered with chile gravy (that's colorado sauce if you're feeling fancy) and melted cheese.  We're starting to see some bastardized Sysco version which is an Anaheim, but skinny - the cigar-looking version.  They're... not good.  It's almost as if they took the chile, cut a long strip out of the top of it, stuffed it, then.. kind of smooshed/rolled it back together?  
 
Additionally, to the poster who stated that Tex-Mex is fiery hot - no, no, no, it isn't!  Tex-Mex is marked more by deep chili and cumin flavors, which of course can be hot - but any "fieriness" comes from any salsas (or, depending on the time of year, how hot the jalapenos or serranos happen to be in the pico).  But generally, think warm, spicy and cumin-smoky, not fiery.  And to lay a blanket of " like Tex-Mex in Texas is. My thoughts about this is that they only use absolute heat to cover a poor recipe and preparation." over Tex-Mex is inaccurate and, honestly, fightin' words.  
 
I highly recommend Robb Walsh's The Tex-Mex Cookbook for those uninitiated in Tex-Mex as its own distinct, storied, and venerable indigenous cuisine.  He does a great job in covering not just recipes, but the history of the cuisine. 

I should mention that a chili relleno with verde sauce makes an excellent hangover cure.....

What, covered in a verde sauce, wouldn't be a great hangover cure? ;)

 
 
 
 
 
 
ed's recent relleno at La Tapitia in Phoenix, Oregon. :)

Bill,
You're making me hungry again! That was an excellent relleno!

bill voss


 





ed's recent relleno at La Tapitia in Phoenix, Oregon. :)

 
That's a Chili R!!!!!

they are light, full of cheese, and crispy good.

They can be heavenly.

I just checked on the web two local, higher-end chains that I have not been to:
Chuy's uses Anaheims
Christina's uses Poblanos
I'll try both in the near future and compare.