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talosian

Dec 15, 2004, 3:10 PM

Post #1 of 22 (1699 views)

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What is the best way to get the skin off

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the chili when I'm making chili rellenos?

Thanks.
"When all logical explanations have failed, we must look to the illogical for the answer.

Rolly

Dec 15, 2004, 3:14 PM

Post #2 of 22 (1698 views)

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Re: [talosian] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Look here for step by step pictures: http://rollybrook.com/chiles_rellenos.htm

Rolly Pirate

talosian

Dec 15, 2004, 4:04 PM

Post #3 of 22 (1694 views)

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Re: [Rolly] What is the best way to get the skin off

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GREAT! PERFECT! WONDERFUL! Thanks again for your help.

Spock/David
"When all logical explanations have failed, we must look to the illogical for the answer.

sfmacaws

Dec 15, 2004, 7:26 PM

Post #4 of 22 (1677 views)

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Re: [Rolly] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Quote

When the chiles are cool, the charred skin is slipped off leaving a soft, deflated chile ready for stuffing.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong Rolly but it has NEVER been that easy for me. It's a lot like peeling a sunburn in my experience. Tiny slivers of skin come off a little at a time and it all sticks to your fingers (I can see a little of that in your picture of Doña Martha's fingers) until you can no longer tell whether you are grabbing skin that you've already removed or skin that is still attached to the chili. Plus there are always pockets (wrinkles) on the chili that don't get scorched enough and the skin won't come off at all. I usually have to sew the chili together with toothpicks to keep it together until it is cooked. I'd make them a lot more if it weren't such a PITA to peel the chilis. Plus, it's so much easier to just order them in a restaurant <g>

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

esperanza

Dec 15, 2004, 7:44 PM

Post #5 of 22 (1673 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] What is the best way to get the skin off

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I think a lot has to do with the chiles you buy. I always try to buy very fresh chiles poblanos with no hills and valleys--chiles that are as flat-sided as possible--so that the majority of the chile surface comes in contact with the heat source. I'm not quite as brave as Doña Martha, though. I always blacken my chiles on a cast iron comal. The trick for me is to blacken them as much as possible, till they blister up well and the chile itself is partly cooked in the process, and then sweat them for several minutes in a plastic bag. Usually the skin comes off in large sections when they're done that way. Some folks peel the blackened chiles under running water, but I find that the water takes some of the flavor with it.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Rolly

Dec 15, 2004, 8:02 PM

Post #6 of 22 (1668 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What is the best way to get the skin off

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I'm sure you're right about selecting the right chile. I've seen ladies pick over the chiles in the store to get the best ones. Time in the steaming bad is also important. I have notice in watching Martha that those that have been the bag the longest peel the easiest.

Rolly Pirate

Gayla

Dec 15, 2004, 10:30 PM

Post #7 of 22 (1657 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Wow, I'm kind of surprised you haven't tried Dona Martha's chile roasting method. It's really simple and works particularly well for getting into all the nooks and crannies. I've done it her way and I've also done it where I've held the stem in a pair of tongs and then held the chile over (well actually in) the flame. Kind of like roasting a marshmellow. It's faster than the comal :-). And it's definitely faster than the d**n electric oven and range I'm stuck with now.

jennifer rose

Dec 16, 2004, 7:24 AM

Post #8 of 22 (1644 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Another way, particularly if you don't have a gas stove, is to place the chiles on a baking sheet, run them under the broiler for a few minutes, turn, and place in a plastic bag. If you can't remove all of the skin, it's not fatal. Simply tell your guests that they're getting a little extra roughage and that this way is all the rage in Europe. Sometimes I don't even bother to skin the chiles at all.

Uncle Jack

Dec 16, 2004, 7:32 AM

Post #9 of 22 (1643 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] What is the best way to get the skin off

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"Sometimes I don't even bother to skin the chiles at all."

I doubt that Dianna Kennedy would approve.

uj

Caarina12

Dec 16, 2004, 9:33 AM

Post #10 of 22 (1633 views)

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Re: [Uncle Jack] What is the best way to get the skin off

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I hear that in many they actually remove the chile skin by frying the chiles in oil, cooling and then removing the skins. I think that this is probably the most practical way when doing very large quantities, but then you lose the charred flavor from roasting them on the BBQ or over an open gas flame.

C

Carol Schmidt

Dec 16, 2004, 7:57 PM

Post #11 of 22 (1613 views)

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Re: [Caarina12] What is the best way to get the skin off

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A guy named Mad Coyote Joe who was a chef in Phoenix with his own TV show had a great chile charring device for his show, custom made by a welder friend.

It was a wire basket that rotated over charcoal flames like a rotisserie, tossing the poblanos until they were blackened on every side. Then he emptied the charred mess into a plastic bag and let it sit, and then peeled them under running water. The flames were always leaping high and catching the chiles on fire every so often, though the next toss would put out that fire, and all the chiles would be equally blackened. The basket held probably 20 poblanos at a time. The process looked a bit frightening to me--I'd probably catch something on fire, probably myself.

Our housekeeper taught Norma to just put the chiles on the stove, one on each burner, on a high flame and let them go until they are really charred. The darker they are, it seems the easier the skin peels off. She doesn't run them under water to peel them, the skin seems to come off pretty easily. But then she's the cook.

Carol Schmidt

jennifer rose

Dec 16, 2004, 8:54 PM

Post #12 of 22 (1604 views)

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Re: [Uncle Jack] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Believe it or not, Diana does offer a recipe for chiles rellenos using dried chiles. And with the skin left on.

Uncle Jack

Dec 17, 2004, 5:28 AM

Post #13 of 22 (1600 views)

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Re: [Carol Schmidt] What is the best way to get the skin off

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In late August and September in most Hispanic neighborhoods in the southwest, you will see giant propane fired versions of the device you just described in many shopping mall parking lots and on street corners. That is the time of the annual chile harvest and folks buy huge bags and have them fire roasted to remove the skins. Patty and I used to drive over to Hatch, N.M. from Prescott, AZ every year to buy 5 or 6 (40 lb?) bags for ourselves and friends.

When we got home, the skins would slip right off and we would freeze the chiles (Big Jims, Sandias, etc.) in ziplok bags for use the rest of the year. The frozen weren't quite as good as fresh chiles, but they were sure one Hell of a lot better than canned.

uj

sfmacaws

Dec 17, 2004, 3:48 PM

Post #14 of 22 (1579 views)

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Re: [Uncle Jack] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Ummmmm, and the smell is wonderful with chilies roasting on every corner. We were just in Hatch and Las Cruces this fall and I bought many bags of freshly roasted chiles. I have only one left, in the freezer, and I have to think of something special to make with it.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

donwilliston

Dec 20, 2004, 6:49 AM

Post #15 of 22 (1538 views)

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Re: [Rolly] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Rolly,

Maybe this is a really stupid question; but why are we supposed to remove the skin? I just sauté the chili and almost always leave it on. I also often skip the batter too. Are sautéed stuffed chilies with the skin and without the batter still “chili rellenos”?

don

---
"It's good enough to be true" Gracie Maurahan 1970
---

esperanza

Dec 20, 2004, 7:35 AM

Post #16 of 22 (1532 views)

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Re: [donwilliston] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Of course it's not a stupid question. And yes, your chiles are still chiles rellenos (that only means stuffed chiles), but they are not what we think of when we think of traditional chiles rellenos. Traditional recipes for chiles rellenos call for roasting, skinning, stuffing, battering, and frying the chiles, just the way Doña Martha does it in Rolly's photo essay. I've eaten them stuffed with everything from plain cheese to mashed potatoes with cheese and onions, and from picadillo to tuna fish.

You're preparing a somewhat different 'take' on them, and if you like them that way--pues, ¡provecho!

It's important to remove the skin because the cooked skin of the chile poblano is usually quite tough, unpleasant to eat and hard to digest. I've been wracking my brain and haven't been able to think of a single recipe that includes fresh chiles poblanos where you don't remove the skin. Chiles en nogada, rajas con crema, sopas--the skin is removed in all of them. In addition, the process of roasting the chile adds flavor to it. Once you get the hang of skinning them, it's really no big deal.

And pssst...when it's a chile (as in a chile plant or the vegetable itself), you spell it with an 'e' on the end and pronounce it CHEE-lay. When it's chili--the kind we eat in the States and argue about beans or no beans, tomatoes or no tomatoes, then it's chili. Chill-ee.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Uncle Jack

Dec 20, 2004, 7:47 AM

Post #17 of 22 (1531 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What is the best way to get the skin off

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"...when it's a chile (as in a chile plant or the vegetable itself), you spell it with an 'e' on the end and pronounce it CHEE-lay. When it's chili--the kind we eat in the States and argue about beans or no beans, tomatoes or no tomatoes, then it's chili. Chill-ee"

Amen!....Miss Espie.

uj

donwilliston

Dec 20, 2004, 8:46 AM

Post #18 of 22 (1519 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Thank you very much for the info and the polite spelling correction.
Since I almost always saute my chile or mince them they aren't tough. I'll stick with my current methods.

Thanks again, don

---
"It's good enough to be true" Gracie Maurahan 1970
---

Gayla

Dec 20, 2004, 9:36 AM

Post #19 of 22 (1512 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What is the best way to get the skin off

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If I can add just a bit to what Esperanza (and Jennifer Rose) have posted. There are literally hundereds of ways to prepare chile rellenos. Believe it or not, I actually have more relleno recipes using dried chiles than I do for fresh.

Chile rellenos from dried chiles are usually not peeled. If the dried chiles are really meaty and pliable, you can get the skin to peel off, tho' it is a time consuming proposition. Chile Rellenos from dried chiles don't seem to be enrobed and fried, more likely pickled or served straight with a light salsa or other type of sauce. Most of my recipes for chile rellenos with dried chiles come from Veracruz, but not having been to Veracruz (yet) I don't know if this is just a coincidence or really a regional variation.

I made a chile relleno dish this past weekend using Ancho chiles (the dried poblano). I had ordered Anchos from my produce company and they sent me poblanos instead. I ended up using some old Anchos I already had on hand, and while the dish tasted great, the Anchos were really too dry and the appearance of the dish wasn't so hot. I went ahead and roasted off the poblanos and I thought about this particular thread as I did. I had to use the broiler of an electric oven. I got a good char on the chiles, but unfortunately, it took so long to blister and char the skin that the chiles had cooked through and were too soft. Oh well, hopefully, I'll have either better luck next time or access to a flame for charring.

For those of you fluent enough in your Spanish reading skills, there is an excellent chile relleno book in Spanish by Ricardo Munoz Zurita that contains lots of variations. I think the book is just called "Chile Rellenos", it may or may not still be in print. If you love chile rellenos, can find the book and can read enough Spanish to get the gist of the recipes, this may be useful.

(Disclaimer - I do know Ricardo and have taken cooking classes with him, including a chile relleno class. I'm not trying to pimp his book, just provide a resource that I think is reliable)

Rolly

Dec 20, 2004, 10:02 AM

Post #20 of 22 (1509 views)

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Re: [Gayla] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Hola Gayla,

I'd be interested in learning more about your method of using anchos. When this subject came up on this forum a while back, I ask my friends about it. I didn't find anyone around here who uses dried chiles. I'm sure the flavor will be different, and I'd like to check it out.

Thanks

Rolly Pirate

donwilliston

Dec 20, 2004, 10:31 AM

Post #21 of 22 (1507 views)

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Re: [Rolly] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Rolly,

I've used chile ancho for stuffing, but I prefer Poblano. To use chile ancho just pick a big one, put it in a bowl and pour hot chicken broth over it. After about 30 min just stuff it with whatever you've got and fry it. It's so easy you can do it as a side dish to see if you like it. Actually one of my favorites is chile caribe stuffed with queso oaxaca. a very mild, tasty snack.

don

---
"It's good enough to be true" Gracie Maurahan 1970
---

Gayla

Dec 20, 2004, 10:53 AM

Post #22 of 22 (1501 views)

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Re: [Rolly] What is the best way to get the skin off

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Rolly

I'm at work at the moment but can send you some recipes or more info when I get home later today.

In the meantime I can post the soaking liquid I used with the anchos.

4 Cups Water
4 oz Piloncillo (grated, but we all know that's next to impossible)
1/2 Cup cider vinegar
1/2" piece of Canela
1/2 tsp Salt

Bring it all to a boil and simmer 5 minutes and pour over your cleaned, seeded and deveined anchos and soak for 8 minutes.

That's the first part of the recipe. What I learned on Saturday in making the dish I did is that you need to use fairly fresh and pliable anchos that feel meaty. Anchos that are really wrinkled up, that crack when you try and bend them or aren't real flexible don't work so well. If they're pliable you can slit them and then make a small cross cut at the top of the slit under the stem - so you've cut a "T", and get them cleaned without breaking and tearing. The problem I had this weekend is that my anchos were not so pliable and I ended up with some extra slits I hadn't intended on having. I also learned that soaking for only 8 minutes probably wasn't enough for my drier chiles, I probably should have gone for about 15.

This soaking liquid tastes great. Even after soaking the dried chiles there was virtually no bitter flavor in the soaking liquid so I went ahead froze it in an ice cube tray for future use. I has all the flavors - salty, sweet, sour and hot in place of bitter. I was corresponding with Esperanza and she says this reminders her a lot of the marinade for chile moritas en escabeche. I haven't had the chance to try these yet but she assures me they are deliciously addicting.

I'll check on my dried chile relleno recipes when I get home and pass or post them later today.