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rickc

Aug 28, 2005, 6:48 AM

Post #1 of 14 (3736 views)

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Chili relleno cheese?

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Can someone tell me the name of the white cheese used in Chili Rellanos in Mexico. It was quite tastey, and did not turn into a melted mess within the chili. We finally have some Poblanos nearing maturity and would like to make some chili rellanos here at home.

The Poblanos were very slow to mature here in SW Idaho this year. The plants grew very tall and only recently began to produce chilis.

Rich Chambers
Navigating the Sea of Life..

esperanza

Aug 28, 2005, 9:28 AM

Post #2 of 14 (3721 views)

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Re: [rickc] Chili relleno cheese?

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Rick, if you can find queso asadero for your chiles rellenos, that would be perfect. Failing that, look for queso manchego. Failing that, get yourself some Monterey Jack. It's a little meltier than the other two, but it works.

One of my favorite stuffings for chiles rellenos is cheese and leftover mashed potatoes. Cheese and Mexican tuna salad (a can of tuna mixed with a can of mixed vegetables and some mayonnaise) stuffed into the chiles work well, too.

If you're really in a fiesta mood for the upcoming Fiestas Patrias, try Chiles en Nogada. Do a search on this forum for the recipe--I posted my favorite a year or so ago.

And I was disappointed not to meet you, too. Next time!

Esperanza

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

jennifer rose

Aug 28, 2005, 10:21 AM

Post #3 of 14 (3713 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Chili relleno cheese?

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My favorite hot-weather version is stuffed with canned tuna and cooked vegetables, without anything else. Simply grill the chiles, skin them, and stuff. They can be wrapped in a Romaine leaf for serving.

BTW, here in Mexico we're even able to get frozen peeled chiles, ready for defrosting and stuffing. You can do the same with your excess harvest.

rickc

Aug 28, 2005, 10:59 AM

Post #4 of 14 (3707 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Chili relleno cheese?

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Thank you Esperanza and Jennifer! I knew I could depend upon you folks for the best of information. These are great preparation ideas also. I am excited to try them as soon as my Poblanos are ready to pick.

Rich Chambers
Navigating the Sea of Life..

Anonimo

Aug 28, 2005, 11:28 AM

Post #5 of 14 (3697 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Chili relleno cheese?

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Quote

One of my favorite stuffings for chiles rellenos is cheese and leftover mashed potatoes.

Sounds like a pierogi-chile fusion. Can't go wrong with a combo like that.

Saludos,
Anonimo

Bubba

Aug 29, 2005, 11:31 AM

Post #6 of 14 (3661 views)

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Re: [Anonimo] Chili relleno cheese?

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Here is a nice dish I got from John Sedlar at the ST Estephe in La years ago. John is from New Mexico.
Make a mushromm duxelle by cooking mushrooms in butter until they are dry add some pinon nuts add cream salt white pepper and cilantro if you like.
Roast the poblanos and remove skin
Stuff the pepper with the mushroom mixture

Make a sauce by cooking garlic and shallot in some butter. add some white wine salt and pepper and reduce by half, add cream and reduce to 1/3.
Blend in goat cheese ( the Mexican or montrachet type) and cook until the sauce is moderately thick. Strain the sauce pressing the solids and keep warm over low heat
Make "indian paint by warming peanut oil over moderate heat. Add some garlic soften for 1 minute , add cayenne pepper and a small amount of water. Stir until blended and cook for about 3 mn until the mixture is smooth. Strain thru a sieve and let cool

To assemble steam the wrapped chiles for 5 mn
reheat the sauce and place on a plate, place chili on top and drizzle the "indian paint"

rickc

Aug 29, 2005, 12:25 PM

Post #7 of 14 (3651 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Chili relleno cheese?

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Sounds great Bubba! Something else for us to try with our Poblanos.

Thanks much.
.

Rich Chambers
Navigating the Sea of Life..

Lavanda

Sep 14, 2005, 6:09 PM

Post #8 of 14 (3590 views)

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Re: [rickc] Chili relleno cheese?

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We use queso fresco aka queso ranchero,

It melts but not overly much.

I crumble the cheese, conbine it with grated onion, and whole kernel corn. Then stuff.

Rolly

Sep 14, 2005, 6:50 PM

Post #9 of 14 (3585 views)

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Re: [Lavanda] Chili relleno cheese?

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Hi Lavanda,

Nice to see you back online. You've been gone for ages.

The most commonly used cheese around my area is Chihuahua.

Rolly Pirate

Lavanda

Sep 17, 2005, 5:05 PM

Post #10 of 14 (3545 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Chili relleno cheese?

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Rolly, dahlin, Chihuahua is good too and menonita.

Yes, I have been gone, trying to rehab and lotsa family reunions, genaology stuff, etc going on, but now that it is fall, hope to get back into the groove.

Good to hear from you! abrazos

!! Viva Mexico, warts and all !!!

MazDee

Sep 17, 2005, 8:06 PM

Post #11 of 14 (3535 views)

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Re: [Lavanda] Chili relleno cheese?

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What is the difference between Chihuahua and mennonita? Not the same? And what is your favorite cheese for chiles rellenos? Dee

rickc

Sep 22, 2005, 3:04 PM

Post #12 of 14 (3496 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Chili relleno cheese?

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After planting, babying and nourishing my Poblanos I ended up with some 4ft tall plants with many small peppers, the largest 3 or so inches long. Some of the other plants produced smaller peppers which turned red early on. Another surprise was that peppers from one or two plants were quite spicey while peppers from other plants were as mild as bell peppers. (All grown from the same seeds.) Maybe it had something to do with the crazy summer we had here SouthWest Idaho. The weather this Summer also caused our tomato plants to produce very bushy plants, with far fewer than normal tomatos, and within a couple weeks or so we should have our first hard frost. I'll certainly try again next year to grow them as nice as the ones we had at Lakeside.

At any rate, we are preparing the Chilis for Chili Rellanos at our supper meal tomorrow or the next day. We'll go with the cheese we currently have in the fridg, Monterey Jack. My wife is now toasting them on our grill in preparation for removing the skins. Those that we don't prepare tomorrow will go in the freezer for a later meal. We'll let you know how they came out.

Maybe we can try some of the other cheeses suggested at a future meal.

Rich Chambers
Navigating the Sea of Life..

Rolly

Sep 22, 2005, 3:31 PM

Post #13 of 14 (3494 views)

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Re: [rickc] Chili relleno cheese?

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Poblanos vary greatly in heat. When Doña Martha makes chile rellenos, she checks the heat of each chile by sniffing it before she adds the filling. The hottest ones are set aside for Coco, and the mildest ones are for me. Once in a while I end up with one meant for Coco, and I can really tell the difference.

Rolly Pirate

rickc

Sep 23, 2005, 6:54 AM

Post #14 of 14 (3476 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Chili relleno cheese?

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Thanks Rolly; Thats good to know. Personally, I like the spicier peppers but like you, my wife prefers the milder ones. (We'll have to check each one before we prepare them.)

As I remember, the Poblanos we saw and ate in Mexico were at least 4 inches long, while ours were only about 3 inches in length. I'm still wondering whether this can be attributed to our unusual Spring/Summer temperature and moisture content this year.

Rich Chambers
Navigating the Sea of Life..