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they are uniformly blackened and blistered. You can also use a BBQ grill, or even do them on the stove top, right on the gas burner. Check them every few minutes, and turn frequently. As they are done, put them on a plate, and cover with a bowl, to contain the steam. You can also pop them into a paper bag and seal them tightly. Keep them covered so the steam will loosen the skins.

Once they're cool, it's time to peel them. This is best done by hand. Keep a bowl of water nearby to dunk them occasionally to remove spare bits of skin without rinsing away the lovely charred flavor. Do as well as you can, but you don't have to be perfect here!

Now, make a slit from the top halfway down the side of each chile, reach in carefully and remove the seeds and ribs. Leave the stems in place, and work delicately to avoid tearing the flesh. You can do this all this ahead of time, even the day before.

Now, finely dice one chile. Combine it with half the onion and the can of tomatoes, and half the leaves of cilantro, and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Continue to simmer, and add salt and cumin to taste. Set aside and keep warm.

Crumble the cotija cheese (or the grating cheese) and combine with the green onion and the other half of the cilantro leaves. Set aside.

Shred, grate or dice the melting cheese, and toss with the other half of the onion and 1 tsp. of cumin. Set aside.

Now, take the 12 peppers, and stuff with the melting cheese mixture until full but not overflowing. You can close them with a toothpick temporarily. Set them aside.

Beat the eggs white with 1 tsp. salt until stiff peaks form. Using the same beater, beat the yolks until very thick and lemon colored. Gently fold 1/4 cup of flour into the yolks, and then fold in the stiffly beaten whites.

Heat a large frying pan with 2 inches of oil until you see a shimmer on the surface. Now, working quickly, roll each stuffed chile in flour, then dip in batter and place in the hot oil. (Remove the toothpick before placing them in the oil!) You should be able to fry about 4 at a time. Turn them carefully as they brown, and then remove the finished chiles to paper towels in a very low oven. This shouldn't take long, perhaps 5-7 minutes per chile. Maintain the level of oil in the pan so that you are shallow frying.

Once you've fried all the chiles, place them on warmed plates, then top with your warm sauce. Garnish with the cheese/green onion/cilantro mixture. Classic accompaniments are refried beans, Mexican rice, and steamed tortillas.

Close your eyes and absorb the aromas, then take a bite and let the bite take you. You are now in East Los Angeles, circa 1960, which is a delicious place to be! Espero que te gusta mi receta para chiles rellenos! I hope that you like my recipe for stuffed chili peppers!

Learn more about this author, Patricia Resnick.
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