Chiles rellenos

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^{Temporary pic, beautifully taken on a more beautiful talavera plate. Will try to substitute with a picture of my own when I take it}

This week I prepared chiles rellenos (stuffed chiles). A simple yet delicious meal that I’ve never prepared, but I decided to invent the recipe from my observations. I recently got reminded of it at a friend’s house, and I thought of incorporating it more regularly to my meals.

Ingredients:
4 medium poblano peppers
200 gr panela cheese (or fresco)
wheat flour
2 eggs
2 tomatoes
1/4 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
salt
oil
Rice and beans for sides

For sauce:
Boil tomatoes for a few minutes until skin can be easily removed. Remove the stem remnant, too. Blend and strain. Set apart.

Sauté the garlic and onion until transparent. Add the tomato liquid and stir. Bring to a boil and lower the flame. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes until cooked.
^{I’d like to add an herb to this sauce, but I’m still delivering on which one will add to the general flavor —maybe oregano? And I’ve also seen this sauce mixed with beans instead of serving them apart, which I’d also like to try.}

For the chiles:
Brush oil on the chiles and toast them directly on the stove burners till they are more or less burned (oil helps for a more even burning). Let cool a little and then remove skin and seeds (it’s a standard to let them “sweat” in a plastic bag, but IMO this takes away from the chile’s consistency and flavor). Remove veins for a less-hot version. Fill with slices of the cheese.

Beat egg whites until stiffened. Incorporate yolks. Cover the chiles with flour and then with the egg mixture.

Fry in med-high flame for a few seconds until golden, making a three-sided chile (looks better than a two-sided one).

Set in plate and cover with tomato sauce. Serve with sides of rice and beans.

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