Cheese Chiles Rellenos

Fleshy peppers with charred, tender skin, filled with molten cheese. The golden soufflé-like egg coating is draped in a thick tomato sauce for a fresh finish.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 30 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 545
• Protein: 23 g
• Carbs: 25 g
• Fat: 40 g

Ingredients

• 300 g Buffalo milk mozzarella ("di bufala") ( cut into sticks )
• 4 piece Egg ( yolks and whites separated )
• 50 g Wheat flour ( for dredging )
• 400 g Round tomato ( diced )
• 1 piece Yellow onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 750 ml Sunflower oil ( for frying )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 4 piece Poblano Pepper ( washed and dried )

Instructions

1. Char the peppers

   Char the pepper skin with a torch or under the broiler. The skin must blister and turn completely black. Place in a bag for 10 minutes to let the steam loosen the skin.

2. Peel and deseed

   Remove the charred skin with your fingers. Make a small side slit to remove seeds without tearing the flesh. The pepper must remain whole to hold the filling.

3. Stuffing

   Insert mozzarella sticks inside. Close the opening with a toothpick if necessary to prevent the cheese from escaping during cooking.

4. Prepare the sauce

   Sauté chopped onion and garlic in oil. Add diced tomatoes and oregano. Simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

5. Soufflé batter

   Whisk egg whites until very stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the yolks with a spatula. The mixture must be airy and hold its shape.

6. Frying

   Dredge peppers in flour, then dip into the egg mixture. Fry in hot oil until the crust is golden brown and crispy on all sides.

Chef's tips

• Do not rinse the peppers under water to peel them, as it washes away the smoky flavor from the charring.
• The oil must be at 180°C: if too cold, the crust will be greasy; if too hot, it will burn before the cheese melts.

Storage

Keeps for 2 days in the fridge. Reheat in a hot oven to restore the crispness of the crust.