Everyone in our family loves Chile Rellenos. While the recipe varies among Mexican restaurants, our favorite has a combination of ground beef and cheese filling. Emily’s recipe is pretty authentic.

6 medium poblano peppers
1 pound ground beef chuck
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sweet onion, finely diced
1 medium serrano pepper, finely diced
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
1 dash salt
8 oz Monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp salt
2 tsp black pepper

1. Roast the poblano peppers on a grill or under the broiler, turning frequently, until nicely charred on all sides. Place the hot peppers in a plastic bag and seal. When cool enough to handle peel the skin off the peppers and cut a slit to remove the seeds, leaving the stem and tip whole.
2. In a 10 inch skillet, break up the ground chuck and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crumbly. Season the meat with the chili powder, cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, serrano pepper, and minced garlic with a dash of salt until the onions turn clear. Return the ground beef to the pan, along with the cheese, and stir until the cheese has melted into the meat mixture. Stuff the poblanos with the meat mixture.
4. Wash out the skillet and dry thoroughly, then add the vegetable oil to the same skillet and heat till shimmering.
5. In a shallow dish, beat the eggs very well. In another shallow dish, whisk together the flour, 1 Tbsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp black pepper.
6. Gently hold the peppers closed and dip into the beaten eggs. Gently squeeze the pepper while rolling it in the flour, dip back into the eggs, then once again into the flour.
7. Fry the peppers in the hot oil, open side up, until golden. Turn the peppers once and continue to cook until golden brown on the other side.
8. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to remove the excess grease. Enjoy!

Servings: 6