Italian Chile Rellenos

Ingredients

Vegetable oil to a depth of 1 inch for frying  

8 medium (a generous pound) fresh poblano chiles, not twisted or deeply indented, preferably with long stems

1/2 pound shredded fresh mozzarella

1/2 pound shredded provolone

1 pound cooked crumbled Italian Sausage

1 Red bell pepper, finely diced

1/2 pound sliced mushrooms. cut each slice in half

2 T minced garlic

1 T fresh basil, finely diced

1 T fresh oregano, finely diced

1 medium onion, finely diced

8 eggs, yolks separated

1 cup all purpose flour for dredging  

Big sprigs of watercress or flat-leaf parsley, for garnishing the plates

For the sauce:

28oz can whole san marzano tomatoes (drained)  

2 cloves garlic, whole, smashed

pinch chile flake  

2 T Concentrated Tomato paste  

1/4 cup Olive oil  

1T minced fresh oregano

1 t salt  

1 t sugar  

1.  Pour the oil into a large, deep, heavy skillet or pot and set over medium high heat. 

2.  When the oil reaches 360F, lay in 2 or 3 chiles—whatever fits most comfortably.  Turn them regularly until they are evenly blistered all over, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining chiles.  Set the oil aside for frying the stuffed chiles. 

3.  As the chiles cool, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until combined.  Pour into a saucepan and set aside.

4.  When the chiles are cool enough to handle, rub off all the blistered skin. 

5.  Cut a slit in one side (start about ½ inch from the top, end about ½ inch from the tip) and carefully use your index finger to dislodge the seeds from the seed pod just below the stem.  Being careful not to rip the slit all the way to the point, quickly rinse out the seeds.  Drain slit-side down on paper towels. 

6.  Brown the Italian Sausage in a skilled until all of  pink is gone then set aside.  Add the onions, peppers and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until the onions are translucent, then add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Set aside to cool.

7.  When the mixture has cooled, combine the cheeses, onion-pepper-mushroom-garlic mixture, Italian Sausage, 1/2 cup of your tomato sauce, basil and oregano in a bowl and mix.

8. Divide the cheese-sausage-veggie into 8 mounds, then press each one between your palms to form a fairly compact cylindrical shape.  Slide each cylinder of cheese through the slits to fill the well-drained chiles, overlap the two sides of the slits and “sew” them together with toothpicks or a skewer. (For the greatest ease in battering and frying, flatten the chiles slightly, lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for about 1 hour to firm them up.) 

9.  Place the saucepan with the sauce on the stove on low and heat as you complete the rellenos.

10.  Reheat the oil to 360F.  Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and ½ teaspoon salt until they hold stiff peaks (they should look nearly dry).  Fold in the yolks, then the flour.   Spread about ¾ cup flour onto a plate.  Remove the chiles from the freezer.

11. Roll a chile in the flour, shake off the excess, pick it up by the stem and dip it in the batter, swishing it back and forth to cover it completely.  Swiftly pull it straight up out of the batter and gently lay it in the hot oil.  Fry 2 or 3 at a time, gently basting hot oil over the top to set the batter.  When they are richly golden on the bottom, about 4 minutes, use a small metal spatula underneath and another (or a spoon) on top to gently turn them over. In 3 or 4 minutes, they’ll be golden underneath and ready to remove with the metal spatula to drain on paper towels.  Fry the remaining chiles in the same manner. 

12. Transfer the completed rellanos to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes or so, to render some of the absorbed oil and crisp lightly.

13. To serve,  spoon the warm sauce on a dish, then gently place the relleno on top.  ENJOY!