BajaNomad - Chile Rellenos

Chile Rellenos

Carol - 10-11-2008 at 06:40 PM

Hi everyone,

Looking for your opinion on best place to get Chile Rellenos?

I like my Chile Rellenos with puffy batter and with the green pepper a wee bit crisp.

danaeb - 10-11-2008 at 06:44 PM

In the world????

tjBill - 10-11-2008 at 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by danaeb
In the world????

I think she means Kelowna, Canada. :bounce:

sd - 10-11-2008 at 07:07 PM

Palomar Hotel in Santiago, BCS.

azvazquez - 10-11-2008 at 08:18 PM

Papa Fernandez, Gonzaga Bay!

Woooosh - 10-11-2008 at 09:18 PM

Our house when my mother in law is in town. The "puffy" batter is egg white meringe that is traditionally pan fried.

Our house- for sure

thebajarunner - 10-12-2008 at 11:15 AM

They are Teresa's specialty,

She made 15 for a dinner party this week,
Went to five stores before she found peppers that met her approval.

The meringue has to be just so, then dipped and quickly deep fried, and then the grease patted off with paper towels.

The relleno is the ultimate test for trying out a new restaurant.

Order one, and you will immediately know just how good the place is- and most places do not measure up.

For starters, most places use canned peppers, and it is all downhill from there!

Udo - 10-12-2008 at 11:44 AM

I definitively agree that the make-or-break meal at a restaurant are the chiles rellenos. I can give you dozens of places where not to order them, including the La Fonda restaurant. My wife sees them on a menu and always wants to order them. I was not paying attention to the restaurant name, but it was in Vizcaino right off Mex 1. I just know that next time there that's what we will order...the best rellenos in Baja

DianaT - 10-12-2008 at 12:32 PM

OK,
I really love the rellanos with the light puffy outside and slightly crisp chile, but John prefers the less puffy outside and softer chile.

So is there anyone else who prefers them the John likes them, or am I correct that my preference is the correct one. :lol:

(When in Oregon we also have the same disagreement over fish and chips. )

One thing we both agree upon about the rellenos is we dislike it when they are smothered with sauce.

Hope to hear more suggestions about restaurants.

Diane

Woooosh - 10-12-2008 at 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thebajarunner
They are Teresa's specialty,

She made 15 for a dinner party this week,
Went to five stores before she found peppers that met her approval.

The meringue has to be just so, then dipped and quickly deep fried, and then the grease patted off with paper towels.

The relleno is the ultimate test for trying out a new restaurant.

Order one, and you will immediately know just how good the place is- and most places do not measure up.

For starters, most places use canned peppers, and it is all downhill from there!

ahh. The mexican restaurant "litmus" test. I agree that you can tell a good Mexican restaurant by their chile rellenos- some would say by their margaritas- but I'm open to a double test.

I do the same with Calamari Fritti at Italian restaurants and Hot and Sour Soup at Chinese joints. Sometimes getting the hard menu items right is easy and they screw up the simple ones.

Back to Chiles Rellenos- the difference between crispy and soft rellenos can be in the quality of the meringue. If there is any tiny bit of yolk at all in the egg white meringue it will soak up the frying fat and never get crispy. Stiill good (even more flavor I guess) but not crispy or fluffy anymore.

[Edited on 10-12-2008 by Woooosh]

shari - 10-12-2008 at 03:44 PM

I'm NOT a chile relleno fan but I LOVE the ones they have here at Moiras Taco stand and they are only 15 pesos and delicioso..not too hot...just straight goods...chile relleno with queso on a tortilla that you put all the fixins on. That way, I can test just one and not have to order a whole order like a restaurant....she also has great tongue tacos.

Woooosh - 10-12-2008 at 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
I'm NOT a chile relleno fan but I LOVE the ones they have here at Moiras Taco stand and they are only 15 pesos and delicioso..not too hot...just straight goods...chile relleno with queso on a tortilla that you put all the fixins on. That way, I can test just one and not have to order a whole order like a restaurant....she also has great tongue tacos.

Nice appetizer! I like chiles relleno burritos- but only from the San Diego surf taco shop variety (anything with a "to's" on the end). They add rice, beans and cheese- It's a whole meal in a flour wrapper.

Btw- I think there is something uniquely special about the Carne Asada burritos from those same San Diego taco shops- that doesn't exist anywhere else. It's the softness of the cubed beef and generosity of the guacamole. When I lived in the mountains of colorado in the 80's I used to "charge" my SoCal friends 10 frozen carne asada burriotos and a couple KROC music casette tapes to crash on my floor during ski season.

daveB - 10-12-2008 at 08:39 PM

Restaurant La Mosca, on the Bahia Tenacatita, Jalisco, served beside pot beans and cold beer, one afternoon every two weeks or so during the harsh Costalegra winter season! Hungary norteamericanos, and others, always swarm to La Mosca like flies when summoned by one of the pretty cooks the day before. Its a Happening!

Second choice is Rafi's house in Bucerias, by invitation only. That's the only reason its second...

Russ - 10-12-2008 at 08:44 PM

Chile Rellenos ~~~ I have only been served one I couldn't eat (at Eqapales).... And many more I shouldn't have.
They are absolutely the bench mark of a restaurant. There is a place in La Paz, I think it's the El Sombero or something like that. They have , maybe 10 different rellenos on the menu and the few I tried were really good. But last Friday, before this post started a vendor came by and had beef rellenos. "rez", (sp) I said, that's not a chile relleno. Well he had only two beef rellenos left so I took them and ordered more real rellenos . Yesterday I got my chile relleno con caso fresco. Now these are not fresh rellenos and I did have to roll them in paper towels and reheat them BUT they were good and probably would have been high on the bench mark if fresh & hot. Toasted and skinned Anaheim/California chiles, most seeds removed and stuffed with cheese and lightly batter. Simple and good. IMHO... anything more is an omolet. I try to make them and the battter just doesn't want to stick. HELP

TonyC - 10-13-2008 at 06:46 AM

Quote:

WHERE? Would make the drive, if she's within a couple of hours from Vallejo. Also heading down to Baja Norte in a couple of weeks, if she's on the way down.

Sallysouth - 10-13-2008 at 10:38 AM

Russ, After you stuff the chiles with queso, gently roll them in flour, then dip in soft peaked eggs whites.The flour helps the batter to adhere to the chile!

Russ - 10-13-2008 at 11:55 AM

Sallysouth, Thanks I tried that and corn starch. Maybe I need to play with the temp of the oil some? Oh, something else I've read in many recipes is to fold the egg yolks back into the whites before you dip the chiles. I'll keep trying.

Cypress - 10-13-2008 at 12:26 PM

They're great! If you can just keep 'em from soaking-up too much grease/oil. :bounce:

Sallysouth - 10-13-2008 at 02:45 PM

Your oil must be quite hot but not so hot that they burn.They need a few minutes a side to melt the cheese.I have made them with folding in the yolks (beaten) and they do have more flavor but are not as "fluffy"as with out the yolks.It IS a delicate process, Russ.Keep trying, you'll get it! I also recommend using canola or a similar "high heat" oil.Heat your oil, dip your finger in the batter and drop it(not your finger!) into the pan.If it browns, you are good to go! Suerte, Sally

capt. mike - 10-13-2008 at 05:01 PM

everyone says how good they are at the jungle in mulege.
i think they suck there. well....i should say they are inexpensive for the thursday nite special - but top notch rellenos they are not.

Bob H will not be agreeing with me here on this one! he likes them so much there he takes pictures of his food!! :lol:

Two hours exactly

thebajarunner - 10-13-2008 at 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TonyC

Quote:

WHERE? Would make the drive, if she's within a couple of hours from Vallejo. Also heading down to Baja Norte in a couple of weeks, if she's on the way down.

When you get back give me a U2U and we can arrange a visit, and swap all kinds of lies and tall tales about Baja.

In two weeks one of the Nomad "Superstars" will be staying with us for a few days and we will be scheming on a whole new project....
stay tuned,

and come on up when you return, just need a few days warning for the little mrs.

:yes:

Hook - 10-13-2008 at 05:51 PM

East meets West Chile Rellenos

Carol, these probably wont be up your alley but I have been completely converted to the style of rellenos they serve in the Denver area.

They take freshly roasted Hatch chiles from NM, fill them with cheese, wrap the whole thing in a wonton skin so that it looks like an egg roll. Then fry until cheese is melted and the wonton is crispy. Ultra thin "batter" coating without all the mess of flour and eggs.

Naturally, they cover it with a green chile sauce made with Hatch chiles, chicken stock, chunks of pork. That is de riguere for Denver.

Sallysouth - 10-13-2008 at 07:04 PM

Hook, Aren't the Hatch chilles really hot?Kinda similar to a Bonnet or the same?Inquiring minds.... :?:

mulegemichael - 10-13-2008 at 07:14 PM

Gotta agree on the chiles from Santiago at the Palomar....shrimp rellenos are the VERY BEST that exist there...especially with a ice cold pacifico after walking up into the canyon el zorro to the waterfall....whatta gorgeous place in baja!!!

This Just In...from another Post

The Gull - 10-13-2008 at 07:35 PM

try adding BAM to the batter.

Hook - 10-13-2008 at 07:48 PM

They're not that hot. I think they are similar to Anaheims. Some heat, but not much if you remove the seeds. Milder than jalapenos, for sure.

Sallysouth - 10-13-2008 at 08:34 PM

Thank you for that info Hook.Guess it's time to bone up on my chille info! :bounce:

chuckbolton - 10-25-2008 at 06:04 PM

chile rellenos are typically made with ancho chiles-- hatch is simply the place in NM where they are grown. ancho chiles are generally very mild--

Russ - 10-25-2008 at 07:52 PM

Maybe in NM they are typically ancho/poblano. But here tradition is Calif/Anh. Although some restaurants do use Poblanos. What is the typical cheese used in NM? Here queso fresco is the norm but some like jack.

Chile Rellenos

Carol - 10-31-2008 at 10:17 PM

Thanks, I don't think I've ever tried the Chile Rellenos there but I sure as heck remember drinking the Margs. YIKES! We're talking powerful.

Quote:

Originally posted by mulegemichael
Gotta agree on the chiles from Santiago at the Palomar....shrimp rellenos are the VERY BEST that exist there...especially with a ice cold pacifico after walking up into the canyon el zorro to the waterfall....whatta gorgeous place in baja!!!

[Edited on 11-1-2008 by Carol]

Santiago - 11-1-2008 at 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
she also has great tongue tacos.

Whoa.......does Juan know about this??

Oso - 11-1-2008 at 08:41 AM

I don't think that much of the ones stuffed only with cheese and I've had some really crappy ones in so-called Mexican restaurants in the states. I hardly ever order them anymore because they're never as good as my wife's. She's from Hidalgo and stuffs poblanos with picadillo. First she fries up a mixture of chopped beef (burger in a pinch), garlic, onions, tomatoes and piñones (pine nuts- peanuts in a pinch),salt & pepper, maybe a shot of "salsa inglesa"-worcestershire, then fills the chile, dredges in flour and beaten egg and fries. She serves them with red chile sauce but I prefer mine without.

Hook - 11-1-2008 at 09:09 AM

Man, that sounds good, Oso. Gotta try that method. We've got lots of pine nuts right now.

capt. mike - 11-1-2008 at 09:20 AM

Oso - i Love chilis but am not well schooled on good prep so indulge me, ok?
i know when we get the hatch green ones here we roast them then peel before using. when you do it with jalapenos it's called chipotle?

which chili varieties can you use/cook unpeeled? like green bell peppers.
do you roast and peel the poblano or fry them skin on?
de skinning peppers is kind of a pain and they hold the filling in better when skin on i think?

Oso - 11-1-2008 at 10:04 AM

Mike,
Chipotles are smoked jalapeños, usually ripe red ones. You can make them yourself in a fish smoker or a covered grill with a LOW fire, preferably indirect coals, maybe some mesquite.

Aside from jalapeños, you can chop fresh serranos and add to scrambled eggs, lots of uses for fresh chilies of the smaller varieties, pekin, cayenne, etc. But if you're going to stuff the larger ones, ya gotta peel 'em or the flour and egg won't stick.
Maybe you're leaving out the "steaming" part? Try roasting them on a comal to the point they are blistering but not too burnt and then wrap them in a hot damp towel and let them steam awhile. They should be much easier to peel then.

Cypress - 11-1-2008 at 01:41 PM

Yea, all those peppers are real tasty, any way you fix 'em. :biggrin:

duke62 - 11-2-2008 at 04:42 AM

I guess I will add my humble opinion, as y'all are making me hungry, as to the four questions you must ask a restaurant if you want to eat/not eat their Chile Rellenos (and, in the process, discover the quality of their food in general):

1. Are the chiles fresh or canned? (Warning, many servers will lie about this.)

2, What type of chiles do you use? (In my mind, the bland Anaheim Chiles are not that great. A fresh, dark green, roasted Poblano is best.)

3. What type of mole/ sauce is it served with? (A very underlooked issue. I want a very light sauce.)

4. What is the filling? (I agree completely with Oso. The filling is the most important part. He had my mouth watering about his wife's recipe.) I had the best Chile Rellenos, in, of all places, Palm Springs when my wife and I were there for a wedding. Not a fancy place, kind of a hole-in-the-wall we stumbled upon one morning. We were there at late breakfast/brunch hour, and I asked the server what she recommended. "Senor, Los Chiles Rellenos, made this morning. Inside, hay pinones, cebollas, tomates de nuestra jardin, mucho mas, y, un poquito queso de Oaxaca." :bounce:

p.s. On that occason, I did not even dare to ask her if the chiles were fresh.

p.p.s. My wife ate most of my plate because she decided she LOVED them, and, if I was a decent husband, I should eat her Chilaquiles instead (which were excellent as well.)

p.p.p.s. No batter. I love a fluffy batter, but these held their own against many I have had with batter.

Final say: The other best place in the states (I have also had many delicious meals of this variety in Mexico) was a place, no longer in existence, in Mission Valley (Si, es la verdad), San Diego, called El Tecolote, owned by a semi-famous, retired Mexican movie star. His Beef Tongue was also to die for. :yes:

My favorite chili rellenos...

Pompano - 11-2-2008 at 04:55 AM

...are made right at home the old-fashioned way. Carmen's family recipe earns everyone's applause.

.
Recently, my guest Pier enjoyed them so much he wanted to hire her for his new restuarant in San Jose del Cabo. Tough luck, buddy.

.
A day or two later, suffering an acute snack attack spasm..I put together some yummy leftovers from the fridge. Left up to me, that plate would not need washing after I finished....but others have stringent and unwavering ideas.

Udo - 11-2-2008 at 10:20 AM

Ey Pompano...
what are the chances of Carmen sharing her family recipe?
I've tried six chile rellenos recipes, and none are there to my or my wife's satisfaction.
Add to my U2U if you do not wish to post it...
My sincerest appreciations, buddy!

Pompano - 11-2-2008 at 10:28 AM

Udo...I will attempt to wrest it out of her. Stand by.