Martha is a proud Hispanic woman. She spent the formative years of her childhood in a small pueblo (town) with her grandmother, grandfather, and extended family. From a young age, she began learning about ingredients from the Earth. This (along with decades of experience) has made her a master-maker, however, with the help of her sister, she's also an excellent chef. In the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, Martha and Curt invite you into their home for a cooking lesson in Martha's muy authenticó Chile Rellenos con Caldo recipe:

Chile Rellenos en Caldo 

Preparation Time: ~1.5 hours

Skill Level: Medium

Ingredients: 

• 4 Anaheim, Poblano or Pasilla Chile Peppers (big green ones)
• 1 Pack Cotija Mexican Cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 Cup Flour (separated as ¼ & ¾)
• 1 1/2 Cup favorite frying oil
• 3 Medium Tomatoes, cut in quarters
• 1/4 Onion, cut in quarters
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Cup Chicken Stock (or water if preferred)
• Salt to taste
• Cooked Shredded Chicken (optional)
• 1 Cup Trader Joe’s Roasted Sweet Corn (optional)
• Corn Tortillas or Chips
• Pepita’s (pumpkin seeds) or Sunflower seeds
• Cilantro

 

Step 1: ~45 min 

• Roast & Prepare the Chiles – you can do this by placing them over direct heat, or in the oven (just place the peppers on a baking sheet under the broiler.) Add other vegetables you'd like to roast, as well, such as onions, corn, or zucchini.
• Whichever method you choose, turn the peppers often with tongs (be careful not to burn yourself!) to blacken all sides. Place the blackened peppers into a paper bag to allow them to steam as they cool.
• Once cooled (about 15min) peel off the blackened skin.
• Rinse under cold water and cut a slit along the side and remove core and seeds.
• Rinse again, inside and out, pat dry.

  Step 2: ~10 min 

• Cut Cheese in 1/2” strips and stuff into peppers. 
• Add shredded chicken if desired (careful not to overstuff). 
• Use wood toothpicks to close the opening. Set aside. 

Step 3: ~15 min 

• Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with the baking powder. 
• In a second bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until the whites form stiff peaks (like making meringue). 
• Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture.
• Place flour into a shallow bowl.

 Step 4: ~20 min 

• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. 
• Roll each stuffed pepper in flour, tap off excess. 
• Once the oil is heated, dip the peppers into the egg mixture to coat both sides. Gently lay the coated peppers into the oil with slotted spoon or tongs. 
• Fry peppers on both sides (turn gently so you don’t splash the oil) until lightly golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes per side. Take out and drain on a paper towel

Preparing the Caldo (Soup)

Step 1: ~5 min 

• Place tomato, onion, garlic, and chicken stock in a blender and blend until smooth.

Step 2: ~5 min 

• In large frying pan, make a roux by heating ~2 tablespoons oil and ~2 tablespoons flour. Keep stirring until slightly brown.
• S-L-O-W-L-Y stir in the tomato blend and bring to boil.
• Add the corn and pieces of cheese if desired and continue at a slow boil to lightly thicken the Caldo. 
• Gently place the prepared chiles in the Caldo and simmer for ~5 min.

Step 3:

• Place chiles and Caldo in a bowl, garnish with pepitas and cilantro. 
• Enjoy with warm corn tortillas or tortilla chips!
• Warning: Be very careful not to eat the toothpicks.