Relleno con Papa y Chorizo

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It was in Oaxaca, Mexico I first enjoyed rehydrated chile rellenos. This was several decades ago and to this date I have not found this type of rellleno in any Mexican restaurant within the USA.

Dry ancho chile (pasilla/poblano) pods can be rehydrated by soaking them in water. Then filled with whichever combination of fruits, vegetables, meats, or cheese that complement the wonderful earthy flavors revealed from these peppers.

In this recipe anchos are filled with potato, Mexican chorizo and cheese and the seeds are toasted and ground and added in a tomato based sauce. This is the only recipe that I have found that uses seeds in this manner. Chili pepper seeds are actually NOT spicy, as they do not contain capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers hot. Toasted seeds amplify the pungent character of this earthy dish and helps thicken the sauce.

Try this technique of rehydrating dry pasilla chile pods and enjoy a new food experience. Let’s get started.

Ingredients

8 large dried ancho chiles

1 (14 oz) can peeled whole tomatoes

1 lb russet (baking) potatoes (about 2 medium)

¼ lb chunky Mexican chorizo (casing removed) preferably air cured chopped (substitute Spanish chorizo)

¾ lb Monterey Jack cheese cut into ⅓ inch cubes

Preparation

Chiles

Rinse chiles, then cover with cold water in a bowl and soak until completely rehydrated, about 6 to 8 hours. Do not discard soaking liquid, it will be used later for the sauce. Working over a bowl and sieve, carefully cut a slit down one side of the chile pod with kitchen scissors or sharp knife and drain the liquid and loose seeds into the sieve. Carefully cut out the thick seedpod located below the stem leaving the stem intact and carefully removing the remaining loosened seeds fall into sieve, discard seedpod. Set chiles aside.

Seeds

Reserve 1 cup chile-soaking liquid for sauce. Turn chile seeds out of the sieve into a shallow fry pan and spead evenly,then toast at medium low heat, stirring ocassionaly until dry, fragrant, and a few shades darker, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool seeds in ceramic dish, then finely grind in a food mill, mortar and pestle or coffee grinder.

Chorizo

Place the chorizo (casing removed) in a fry pan, break it into chunky pieces and cook (8 minutes) to render the oily grease. Remove with a slotted spoon and discard the oil. Set aside.

Sauce

Purée tomatoes, including juice from can, in a blender with reserved soaking liquid, ground chile seeds, and ½ teaspoon salt until smooth then transfer to a 3-quart saucepan and reduce the mixture until sauce is thickened slightly and reduced to about 2 cups, 8 to 10 minutes. Lightly salt.

Potatoes

Peel potatoes and cut into ⅓ inch cubes (about 2 ½ cups). Cook in a 3-quart pot of boing salted water until tender , 5-7 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.

Assembly

Stir together potatoes, chorizo, cheese and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl, then fill chiles generously with stuffing (about1/2 cup each; slit will not close over it.) and place the chiles cut sides up, in baking dish. Pour sauce around (not over) chiles, then cover dish with foil and bake at 350 °F until sauce is bubbling all over, 35 to 45 minutes.

Plate chile over a bed of sauce.

Note

I have made this recipe using the original recipe that was published in Gourmet Magazine in October 2005. It uses Spanish chorizo. Here I use a chunky Mexican chorizo. I used rehydrated pods in a previously published a meatless recipe on this blog. Go To Chile Relleno Using Pasilla Pods .

Buen Provecho

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