Chiles Rellenos Rancho Gordo Recipe

Heirloom Beans | Chronicle, 2008

I grew up eating battered and fried chiles rellenos, stuffed mostly with gooey cheese. I still love them, but when I found a rare copy of the out-of-print Los Chiles Rellenos en Mexico by Mexico City’s brilliant Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, I was inspired to think beyond deep-frying and experiment with baked poblano chiles. The baking intensifies the flavor, something deep-frying doesn’t do. Poblanos have a thick, meaty quality and a denser flavor than bell peppers. Occasionally you get one with some heat, but normally they are mild.–Steve Sando and Vanessa Barrington

Hands-On Time: | Total Time: | Serves 2

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Ingredients

For the classic red salsa
Two 1-inch-thick slices red onion
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 Serrano chiles
1 cup canned whole plum tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 2 key limes or 1 Persian lime
Salt
For the rellenos
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 pound Mexican chorizo, casings removed and meat crumbled
1 to 2 tablespoons safflower or sunflower oil, if needed
1 cup cooked wild rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 poblano chiles, roasted
1 cup refried beans
1 cup grated Manchego cheese
1 cup Classic Red Salsa

Directions

Make the red salsa
1. In a dry, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onion slices, garlic cloves, and chiles, turning occasionally, until they char. You’ll need to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Remove the vegetables as they finish cooking. The garlic will take the longest. When the garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, peel them.
2. Put the onion, garlic, chiles, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice in a small food processor or blender and pulse until a roughly chopped salsa forms. Season to taste with salt. The salsa will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.
Make the rellenos
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
4. In a medium, heavy skillet over medium heat, saute the onion and chorizo until the onion is soft and the chorizo is cooked through, about 10 minutes. The chorizo has enough fat, but if the mixture seems dry, add a little oil. Add the wild rice, gently toss, and cook just until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
5. Cut a slit down the length of each chile and remove the seeds. Carefully fill each chile with 1/4 cup of the refried beans, followed by one-fourth of the chorizo mixture. Place the chiles on a baking sheet, open side up, and sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese over the opening of each chile.
6. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Spoon 1/2 cup of the salsa on each plate and top with chiles rellenos.