Cindy's Beer Battered Chile Rellenos

    My mom always said that the true test of a good Mexican restaurant is their chile rellenos.  I have to say that this came more from her idea that this dish was not one that she made very often because of the egg whites.  To her "stiff egg whites" was a lot like baking which she did not like to do.
    I grew up fearing baking because my mom always said that it was so hard.  I discovered that I could bake fairly well but I don't like sweets.  I bake now because my husband is a sweets lover. He likes all sweets. My daughter-in-law is a great baker and I think she was appalled when I used boxed mixes. I didn't really know any better.  I have since begun to make sweets from scratch.  However, I have kept a few really good "boxed" recipes because I think everything is already measured. Measuring is so much like doing a science experiment. But guess what?  I got around that idea because I figured that all baked goods are really a ratio of wet and dry items.  More like math, which I like. Once I wrapped my head around that idea, I got it. So now I bake to the point where Zach, my husband will say, "No more sweets!" Remember, I don't eat them, he does and HAS to eat them all by himself.
   Getting back to the chile rellenos...I don't make them that often not because of the "stiff egg whites" but more because they are fried.  I don't fry much but chile rellenos are sooooo good!!!! I also make a sauce which I think is very good and it isn't pink. Also, to be honest these are pretty labor intensive.  Cutting corners just doesn't make for a great experience. I do make a chile relleno caserole.  This is MUCH MUCH easier. I'll post this recipe someday.
   Recently, I invited my niece, her son and my sister-in-law to lunch.  I asked my niece what she wanted me to make her.  She requested chile rellenos. So here is that recipe. BTW You can "stuff" these with a number of things. These have cheese. (But sometimes I make them with shrimp or ground meats.)

 Chile Rellenos Cindy Style

Pick 6 large straight dark smooth ancho chile with stems   (1 per serving)
1/2 lb jack cheese or queso blanco cut in 1/4 inch strips
about a cup of queso fresco crumbled for garnish
2 green onion finely chopped for garnish

Beer Batter Ingredients
2 eggs separated
1 cup all purpose flour
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder
11/2 cups of beer (Not a lite beer.)

Sauce Ingredients
oil to coat the bottom of a pan.
1 med. onion diced
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 large jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
1 ancho chile diced (not blistered)
1 can diced tomatoes
1tsp. fresh oregano chopped
1/2 tsp powdered cumin
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
1 can of peeled and diced tomatoes
s/p to taste


CHILES
1. Prepare chilies by blistering the chiles in the flame of your gas stove.  (If you don't have gas, you can use the oven but I have never done it that way.)
2.  Put them in a zip lock type plastic bag.  Seal it for about 20 minutes.
3.  Peel the chilies.  DON'T RUN THEM UNDER THE FAUCET. Take a paper towel and wipe the chilies to take the skins off.  It's okay if there is a little bit of skin on the peppers. Try to make only 1 slit 3/4" of the length of the chiles.
4.  Pat each dry with a paper towel.  Set aside

BATTER
IN A LARGE CAST IRON PAN BRING AN INCH OF OIL TO FRYING TEMP.  (I put a wooden spoon handle into the pan if there are bubbles around the spoon, you got it right.  You don't want smoke.)
Preheat oven to 350.
1. Beat the egg whites to very stiff peaks.
2. Beat yolks and beer to combine.
3. Pour all dry ingredients into a bowl stir to combine. Put this on a large plate.
4.  Slowly blend the yolk and beer mixture into the egg whites (very slowly.)  Try to keep the "stiffness" of the whites.
5.  Put cheese into the chile.
6.  Dip in the flour mixture.
7.  Carefully dip into egg mixture. Holding by the stem let it drip a little into the egg mixture.
8. Holding the chile by the stem slowly and carefully place into hot oil.  Fry for about 2 min. on each side.  Lite brown color. As they are finished place in a baking dish. When you have fried all the chiles put them in the oven.

SAUCE
1. Saute  the first 3  sauce ingredients until onion is translucent
2. Add the can of tomatoes. Stir and heat through.
3. Add herbs and spices.  Stir to incorporate.  Lower heat to simmer.
4. Taste and add salt and pepper.

To Serve
Put 1 tbsp of sauce on each chile. Sprinkle with queso fresco (This is a hard Mex. cheese.)