Green-chile roasting season is in full whirl in parking lots and at farm stands all over Colorado. If you didn’t grow up in a chile-scented kitchen, you might need help figuring out what to do with a half-bushel of Big Jims beyond slicing one up and stirring it into your morning eggs. This beginner’s chile relleno recipe will get you started. – Dana Coffield
Easy, Crispy Chile Rellenos
There are as many ways to jacket your chiles as there are chile varieties. While hardliners will argue that the only way to create a crispy relleno is to dip a stuffed chile in egg batter and deep fry, this wonton-wrapper version takes some of the mess out of the recipe, leaving you only to worry about what sort of cheesy goodness you want to fill your chiles with. This recipe calls for a straight Monterey Jack cheese filling, but you can stuff your chiles with cheddar, feta or even Velveeta; just use what you like. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
- 1 dozen roasted, steamed long chiles
- 1 package large wonton wrappers
- 1 8-ounce package of Monterey Jack cheese, cut into sticks slim enough to fit inside the chiles
- Canola oil for frying
Directions
Under running cold water, strip the roasted skin off of the chiles. Open each chile with your finger and remove the seeds and the stem. (If you purchased hot or extra hot chiles, wear rubber gloves while cleaning the chiles.) Allow the cleaned chiles to drain for a few minutes, so they’re not sopping wet. Place one wonton wrapper on a clean plate. Stuff one chile with enough cheese to make it feel plump. Place the stuffed chile on the wonton wrapper at an angle. Fold one of the corners over the chile and begin to roll. When you reach the halfway point of the wrapper, fold in the two corners on the side to create a neat bundle. Use water to moisten the remaining corner and roll the bundle closed. Repeat until you have a dozen bundles. Pour canola oil into a heavy pan until it is about 1 1/2-inches deep. Heat over medium-high heat until a piece of wonton wrapper sizzles when you drop it in. Using kitchen tongs, gently place a few rellenos into the hot oil and cook, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all of the rellenos are cooked. Serve two or three per person, with salsa or guacamole.
