LC Baked Not Fried Note
Don’t mistake these chiles rellenos for potato chips. What we mean by that is just because the chiles are baked, not fried, doesn’t mean they’re not compelling in their own right. They’re really quite lovely. That couldn’t be further from the truth for baked potato chips. Ugh.
Rancho Gordo's Chiles Rellenos
Ingredients
- For the classic red salsa
- For the rellenos
Directions
In a dry, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onion, garlic, 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.
Toss the onion, garlic, chiles, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice in a small food processor or blender and pulse until roughly chopped. Season to taste with salt. (The salsa will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a 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 should have 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 the heat and stir in the cilantro.
Cut a slit down the length of each chile and remove the seeds. Carefully fill each chile with 1/4 cup refried beans, followed by 1/4 of the chorizo mixture. Place the chiles on a baking sheet, slit side up, and sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over the stuffing.
Bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Spoon 1/2 cup salsa on each plate and top with the chiles rellenos.
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I parboiled the poblanos for 4-5 min to soften them before stuffing, added a little corn and black beans to the chorizo. Stuffed ’em and put a slice of pepper jack cheese on top before putting in oven….mmm
That sounds magnificent, charles! Love that you successfully modified the recipe to make it work for you.
How did you make a quarter pound of chorizo fit into a poblano along with a quarter cup of beans and a quarter cup of rice?
Mark, the peppers aren’t stuffed in the traditional sense, but rather slit open and filled. (Think of a stuffed potato skin.) The pepper runneth over, if you will. Another solution is pick up a few extra peppers.
Do you have to peel the roasted peppers before stuffing them? Thanks!
Hello, Megan. No, you don’t have to peel the peppers.
I was looking for a good red salsa recipe and decided to give this a try. However, although I usually follow recipes to the letter, I did not have all of the ingredients on hand and decided to take a page out of my rebel husband’s playbook. I substituted lemon instead of lime, fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead of whole plum tomatoes, pickled jalapenos instead of serrano, and I left out cilantro because I didn’t have any. I will not be buying store bought salsa again. Despite my substitutions, the salsa was awesome!
Hey, nicely played, Terri D. Love to hear when—and how—someone makes a recipe their own. Love it.