chiles rellenos

One of my early posts (Sept. 1, 2008) was of a chiles rellenos concoction structured largely from leftovers. It was the first posting on this blog that received a comment (2 actually). I didn’t include a picture because I had no digital camera then.

Today I got around to making rellenos again and, with a camera for documention, and a different set of ingredients to play with, I ended up with a similar but different dish, one that was spectacularly flavorful.

Chiles rellenos

4 poblano peppers

2 Johnsonville brats, (or leftover pork, shrimp or chicken)

olive oil

3 medium to small green tomatoes, chopped to ½” dice

1 small red onion, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced fine

2 ears corn, steamed and stripped from cob

½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup shredded or grated cheese (any kind that melts well)

salt

pepper

1 15 oz. can green enchilada sauce

yogurt and cilantro for garnish

Sorry, but you’ll have to start by roasting the peppers until the skin is blackened in order to peel them. Put your oven rack at the second level below the top and pre-heat the broiler. Stick the peppers in (on a baking sheet) and turn them every 5 minutes or so until the skin is thoroughly blistered. Remove them to a paper bag and let them sit and cool for at least 30 minutes. The steam they generate inside the bag will loosen the skin. Carefully peel away the skin. Then make a slit from the “shoulder” at the top of the peppers to about ½” from the pointy bottom. Be very careful as you remove the seeds that you don’t tear the peppers.

While the peppers are roasting, cook the brats by placing them in a skillet and adding ¼ cup water. Cover the pan and let the brats steam for 5 minutes. Remove the cover, add a little bit of olive oil and continue cooking the brats, turning occasionally for another 8 minutes. Remove the brats from the pan and allow to cool to room temp. Cut them into a fine dice and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil. Add the onion and jalapeno and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the green tomatoes and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes. Add the enchilada sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the corn kernels, brats, cheeses, 1/3 of the diced onion and ½ of the jalapeno, salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to combine.

Carefully stuff the poblanos with this mixture and place them in a glass casserole just large enough to hold them in one layer. Set aside or refrigerate until later.

When the time comes to heat this up for dinner, preheat the oven to 350°. Spoon the sauce over the peppers, but not right on top of the opening where you put the stuffing. Scatter a good amount of shredded cheese over the top, this time covering the slits in the peppers.

Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to brown and the whole mess is bubbling. Allow to stand for 5 minutes and then serve garnished with cilantro and yogurt (or sour cream if that’s what you have).