How to Make Homemade Chili Rellanos

by Bobbi A. J. Holmes

          My father taught me to make homemade chili rellanos. I confess, our rellanos aren’t made with fresh green chilies; instead we use canned whole chilies. The end product is delicious, with far less work than starting with fresh chilies. Plus, the chilies are always tender, never tough, stringy or burnt tasting.

Chili Rellano Tradition

          When my father was sick with congestive heart failure, which eventually claimed his life, he had no appetite. Yet, one dish that did appeal to him was chili rellanos. Often he would call me, sometimes at midnight (we lived practically next door to Mom and Dad at the time), and ask if I’d come over and make him some chili rellanos. Of course, making a quick batch of chili rellanos was only possible with the canned chilies.

South Beach Friendly

          Today, almost twenty years after my father passed away, I still make chili rellanos, often for my mother, who always thinks of Dad when she enjoys them. I’ve only made one significant change to the recipe. I deleted the flour. Initially the chilies were covered in flour, to help secure the egg batter. Since I am doing the South Beach Diet, and try to avoid white flour, I found a way to eliminate the flour without changing the flavor and appearance of the rellanos.

Ingredients

          For each whole chili it takes about one whole egg. While the original recipe calls for Jack cheese, I now use low-fat mozzarella, which tastes great and keeps the dish South Beach friendly. I fry the rellanos in canola oil. Oil use is a bit tricky, in that using too much adds excess fat calories to the recipe, while using too little makes it difficult to achieve that crispy fried flavor, even if using a non-stick pan.

Cheese Strips

          Instead of shredding the cheese, I cut the cheese into long narrow strips - long and wide enough to fill the chili. After removing the green chilies from the can, I pat them dry, and add one cheese strip to each chili.

Separate Eggs

          The next step is to separate the eggs. I never use an egg separator. Instead, I thoroughly wash my hands, and then use my hands to separate the yolk from the whites. This allows you to remove all of the white, while keeping the yolk intact. If you fail to adequately separate the eggs, you run the risk of adding un-whipped white back into the whipped eggs, when you reintroduce the yolks, thus watering down the stiff egg whites, and taking the fluff out of your rellanos.

Whip Egg Whites

Use a hand blender and thoroughly whip the egg whites, until they are stiff. Then whip the egg yolks, until creamy. Carefully fold the egg yolk into the whites, yet don’t over-blend, or you risk liquefying the whites.

Frying the Egg Mixture

          Add a tablespoon or two of canola oil to the bottom of a non-stick pan and allow it to get hot. If using a larger pan than the one shown here, and cooking more than one rellano at a time, you will need more oil.
          Some cooks dip the stuffed chili in the egg mixture before placing it in the hot oil. If you try this without coating the chili in flour, the mixture will slide off. Instead of dipping the chili in egg, spoon up a little egg onto the hot oil, slightly larger than the chili.

          After the egg firms up, place a cheese stuffed chili atop the egg. With a spoon, lightly cover the chili with more egg batter. After the rellano firms up and turns golden grown, gently roll it over using a spatuala, to cook the other side.
          Cook the rellanos on medium high heat and avoid getting them too dark, as that will give them a burnt flavor. Yet, make sure to thoroughly cook the rellanos, as you don’t want to bite into a mouthful of uncooked egg.
           While I enjoy the chili rellanos plain, my mother likes them covered with salsa. Enjoy!