The Lighter Chiles Rellenos

Cooking Light magazine is honestly one of the best magazines when it comes to simple and light cooking. Every issue provides a "lighter" version of our most beloved meals. Typically, chiles rellenos is fried, but this recipe is baked, slicing those calories. It's one of my mom's favorites so I thought I'd give it a try. Here's my have it!

Ingredients you'll need:

Cooking spray



*Side Note: In grocery stores, "poblano chiles"
are also referred to as "pasilla chiles."



1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped onion

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup low-sodium salsa verde

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

4 poblano chiles

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, divided

2 tablespoons goat cheese, divided

3 large egg yolks

3 large egg whites

1 1/10 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons cornmeal

1/4 cup canola oil

                                     

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler to high.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in chopped tomatoes, salsa verde, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Place tomato mixture in a food processor; add cilantro. Process mixture until smooth. Set aside.

3. Place poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 3 inches from heat 8 minutes or until blackened and charred, turning after 6 minutes (make sure chiles are broiled until the skin is easy to peel off). Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and discard skins (watch out it gets hot!) . Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile; discard seeds, leaving stems intact. Spoon 1/4 cup Jack cheese and 1 1/2 teaspoons goat cheese in cavity of each chile. (To be honest, I did not use goat cheese, but it is up to you.)

4. Preheat oven to 350°.

5. Lightly beat egg yolks in a small bowl. Place egg whites in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg yolks into egg whites. Combine flour and black pepper in a shallow dish. Place cornmeal in another shallow dish. Dredge poblanos in flour mixture, and dip into egg mixture. Dredge in cornmeal.

6.  Heat oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until hot; reduce to medium heat. Add coated poblanos to oil; cook 6 minutes or until crisp, turning to cook on all sides. Place chiles on a baking sheet, and bake at 350° for 8 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with tomato sauce.

 

This all together took a little over an hour. Such a yummy recipe. I even used the left over salsa just as an appetizer later on in the week with Trader Joe's Veggie Flaxseed Chips!

This recipe was provided by Daniel Croddy in Portland, Maine for Cooking Light, June 2011

Posted and Prepared by Edit Issagholian