Labor Day Chile Rellenos - Mexico in my Mom's Kitchen

One way to keep stories (even people) alive is through cooking.  I learned this from my Italian Grandma Lena – and learned it again during my time in Mexico where the kitchen is the epicenter of life.

Then yesterday, I had a chance to practice this lesson, bringing the tastes of Mexico into my Mom’s Peoria kitchen. 

We were planning to cook Talapia for a small pre-Labor Day dinner party with my aunt and uncle and some of mom’s friends. But on a visit to the Peoria farmer’s market I was inspired by a pile of brilliant green locally-grown Poblano chiles; then at the Potsdam organic meat market some lean fresh ground organic chuck caught my eye.  And the menu began to unfold…ahhh, Chile Rellenos con Picadillo.

As mom and I began what would be a day-long chopping process, I was reminded of my virgin Chile Relleno experience early in my Peace Corps Mexico service. Three of us Peace Corps trainees were sent to the site of Katy and Nate in Matahuala, the high plains desert of central Mexico, to learn some of the ropes of Peace Corp life.  The highlight of the visit had little to do with work; it was Nate’s Chile Rellenos.  

Those babies were so hot that the fumes, as they baked in the over, got us all high. We had to step outside into the hot desert afternoon for some breaths of fresh air before sitting down to our meal. As we ate, sweat dripped off our foreheads. We gulped beer and fanned ourselves with napkins to quell the heat; but the chiles were so tasty we couldn’t stop ourselves.   

The next morning we chile virgins paid the price:  Monteczuma struck and we three were all holed up in our hotel rooms, unable to make the day’s tour.

I knew I had to tame it down for my mom and her Peoria friends. Using Poblanos versus Seranos would help. I remembered, also, that Nate had added extra chopped pepper into the stuffing; I would pass on that.  

Combining memories of cooking picadillo with the Zama Mamas (my host ‘family’ in Mexico) with a little help from some online recipes, and a desire for a healthy variation on a usually greasy theme, here’s what I came up with…Chile Rellenos Peoria Style – Gluten, Grease and Montezuma-Free.

Chile Preparation

Roast peppers on an open flame (gas stove or grill) until skin turns brown-black

Set peppers aside in paper bag or covered bowl for skins to loosen (15-30 mins)

Peel skin off each pepper – make incision vertically from stem to tip – remove pit and seeds, careful not to disrupt the stem

NOTE:  Do not touch your eyes for the next 24 hours!

Relleno de Picadillo – Hamburger Stuffing

1.5 lb lean (organic) chuck

Sauté 1 medium onion (Vidalias are in-season and sweet) + couple cloves minced garlic

By the way, I use coconut oil - a lighter, healthier, tastier alternative and cooks at a good high temp.

Add/sauté hamburger, removing lumps

Add to hamburger as it cooks:  salt, black pepper, oregano and thyme (fresh from Aunt Marilyn’s garden), cinnamon, cumin, chile powder – all to taste

Roast 3-4 Tbsp sliced almonds (or pine nuts) and sauté 1 cup sliced carrots – add to hamburger mixture

Dissolve in a cup of water 4 Tbsp tomato paste + 2-3 Tbsp chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (La Costaña is a good Mexican brand and generally available) – stir into hamburger mixture.

Stuff and Bake 

Stuff the peppers – spooning the picadillo carefully in through the incision – lay in a Pyrex dish with opening up – cover the opening with slices of jack cheese or chunks of goat or ranchera cheese (optional)

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes – let list under foil for another 20 minutes or until ready to serve.

 



Salsa Roja – Red Sauce

Boil 5-7 Roma tomatoes (or equivalent)

Remove tomato skins – puree tomatoes in blenter (or Mom’s Bullet)

Saute 1/3 of an onion and a clove of garlic in Coconut oil – add the fresh tomato puree

Add salt, black pepper and fresh chopped cilantro leaves to taste

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Ready to Plate

Drizzle each chile with 3 Tbsp of salsa

Serve with black beans, quinoa with carrot and squash (not Mexican, but a great rice alternative), and Pico de Gallo (beak of the rooster, fresh avocado, tomato and lime salad to cool the spice)

Buen provecho!