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Cheese-Stuffed Chile Rellenos

Cheese-Stuffed Chile Rellenos reads richness 5.2, allium 4.1 and umami 4.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 1 hr 6 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.4 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.7 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.5 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 5.2 · Allium 4.1 · Umami 4.0 · Salinity 3.8 · Sweetness 3.3 · Earthy 2.5 · Sourness 2.2 · Fruity 2.2 · Nutty 1.8 · Heat 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Herbaceous 1.5 · Bitterness 1.4 · Citrus 0.5

What's in it (12)

• fresh poblano peppers — 5443 g
• monterey jack and pepper cheese — 227 g
• vegetable oil — 14 g
• white onion — 55 g
• garlic — 6 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• dried leaf oregano — 1 g
• cumin — 3 g
• salt — 9 g
• eggs — 300 g
• all-purpose flour — 60 g
• vegetable oil — 435 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 6 min (51 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 53.1 kcal, 2.8 g protein, 2.3 g fat, 5.3 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Char the poblanos directly over a gas flame or 6 inches under a hot broiler, turning with tongs, until the skins are blistered and blackened all over, 8-9 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let steam 10 minutes — this loosens the skins for peeling.
2. Rub the blackened skins off each pepper under cool running water, keeping the stems intact. Cut a slit down one side of each pepper, then gently scrape out the seeds and veins with a spoon, leaving the pepper whole. Pat the peppers completely dry, inside and out, with paper towels — this is what keeps the shell crisp instead of soggy.
3. Stuff each pepper with a baton of Monterey Jack, pressing the slit closed around the cheese. Arrange on a plate and refrigerate 15 minutes to firm up before battering.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, cumin, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 15-18 minutes. Keep warm over low heat.
6. While the sauce simmers, beat the egg whites in a clean bowl with a hand mixer until stiff, glossy peaks form, 2-3 minutes (this happens much slower by hand — allow 8-10 minutes of vigorous whisking if working without a mixer). Gently fold in the egg yolks, then fold in 1/4 cup of the flour and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt to make a thick, airy batter.
7. Dredge each chilled stuffed pepper in the remaining flour, shaking off the excess, then dip fully into the egg batter, coating completely and letting the excess drip off.
8. Heat the 2 cups vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat to 350 F. Fry the battered peppers in batches, without crowding, turning once, until deeply golden and crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. Drain on a paper-towel-lined rack.
9. Spoon the warm tomato sauce onto plates and set a chile relleno on top of each. Serve immediately while the shell is crisp and the cheese is molten.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Kuru Fasulye (Dried Bean Stew) — Turkish
• Ojja Merguez — Tunisian
• Taco Stuffed Peppers — Tex-Mex
• Mirza Ghasemi (Smoked Eggplant with Eggs) — Persian
• Chicken Tamale Pie — Tex-Mex

Keep reading: what richness, allium, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.