San Miguel de Allende - Friday afternoon cooking class

While language school occupies most of our day Mon - Thurs, our Friday afternoons are free and one of our options is a cooking class taught by Carmen.  In addition to doing administrative work in the school office, Carmen happens to be a fabulous cook!  On a personal note, Max is staying with her and her family during his time in Mexico and considers himself extremely lucky.  Carmen and her husband speak only Spanish in their home and Max's fluency is really improving.  AND, he's also eating wonderful meals three times a day!

Today we're learning how to make Chile Rellenos.  We're also going to make seasoned rice and refried beans.  Regarding the beans, we use canned and then 'refry' in a skillet with more oil.  Heart-stoppingly delicious!  

Carmen is so expert at preparing these dishes that I have to take photos just to remember each of the steps involved.  We students also get to help in prepping, cooking, stuffing, and cleanup.  This entire meal is prepared in the small outdoor kitchen at the school.  Notice the great tile counters (with two burners built in). I've copied Carmen's recipe below in Spanish and translated afterwards into English. 

As you may have already guessed, everything turns out amazing and is completely consumed by all students.  Carmen made preparing this dish seem so easy.  The challenge remains for me to try it at home without her help.

The key to great food - fresh ingredients!

Max is a willing helper 

First browning rice in a little oil before adding water and seasoning

While Carmen's recipe lists only cheese as stuffing, our chiles are 'adapted' and also have sauteed beef, tomatoes, and onion added as filling.  

After burning the skin and 'sweating' in a plastic bag, the skin of the chiles is scraped off with a knife

Then, the chiles are opened and the seeds are removed.

The chiles are stuffed with Ranchero cheese and the meat mixture, then closed with toothpicks and coated with flour.

Here's something more - small tortillas filled with extra meat mixture and fried.

The floured chiles are then dipped in the egg mixture and fried in hot oil.  The warmed tomato salsa is used to cover the chiles and tortillas

Perfecto!!

Great food and great company!!

Chiles Rellenos (Carmen's recipe)

10 Chiles Poblanos

1 Queso Ranchero Grande (1 large block of Ranchero cheese)

5 huevos or 4 si son grandes (5 medium or 4 large eggs)

3/4 kilo de jitomates (1 3/4 lbs  tomatoes)

2 dientes de ajo (2 cloves of garlic)

1 cebolla mediana (1 medium onion)

1/2 taza de harina más o menos (1/2 cup flour more or less)

Aceite para freirlos (Oil for frying)

Se asan los chiles directamente en la flama hasta que la piel se queme.  Se van metiendo en una bolsa de plastico para que suden.  Se les quita la piel, se abre cada uno con cuidado para limpiarlos bien de semillas bajo el agua.  Se escurren, se rellenan con el queso, se enharinan y se dejan en espera.

Roast the peppers directly on the flame until the skin is burned. Then put into a plastic bag to sweat for a few minutes.  Then remove the skin.  Carefully open each chile and clean out seeds under water.  Drain, fill with cheese, flour and then set aside


Se separan las claras de las yemas; a las claras se les agrega una pizca de sal y unas gotas de agua.  Se baten a punto de turron, se les agregan dos yemas y 3 cucharas de harina.  Se 
capean los chiles y se frien en el aceite bien caliente.


Separate the egg whites from the yolks, Add a pinch of salt and a few drops of water to the egg whites. Beat until stiff, then add two egg yolks and 3 tablespoons flour. Coat the peppers in this mixture and then fry in hot oil.

Salsa

Se muelen los jitomates con los ajos y un buen pedazo de cebolla.  En una sartén se frien hasta acitronar, 5 rebanadas más or menos; de cebolla y ahí se agrega el jitomate molido.  Se frie bien, se sazona, con esta salsa se bañan los chiles.  Se acompañan con arroz y frijoles fritos.

In a blender, puree the tomatoes with the garlic and a slice of onion. In a skillet, saute the rest of the onion then add the puree.  To serve, ladle warm salsa over fried chiles and accompany with rice and refried beans.