Fusion Chili Relleno Recipe

1) Roast and prep the poblanos

1. Heat your broiler to high or set your oven to 475°F. Place poblanos on a foil-lined sheet pan. Broil or roast, turning every few minutes, until skins are blistered and blackened in spots, 8 to 12 minutes.
2. Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with a plate or plastic wrap. Steam for 10 minutes, then rub off the skins with your hands or a paper towel.
3. Cut a slit down one side of each pepper. Remove seeds and ribs, keeping the stem intact if possible so the pepper holds its shape. Season the inside lightly with salt.

2) Make the sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
2. Add tomatoes (and chipotle if using), cumin, oregano, and broth. Simmer until the tomatoes are very soft, 12 to 15 minutes. If you stop earlier, the sauce will be a little more rustic, which is still totally fine.
3. Blend until smooth. Return to the pan, simmer 2 minutes, then stir in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm on low.

3) Stuff the peppers

1. Add cheese sticks (and a little cream cheese if using) inside each poblano. Do not overfill. You want it snug, not bursting.
2. Gently press the pepper closed. If it wants to spring open, that is fine. The masa wrap will handle it.

4) Mix the masa dough

1. In a bowl, whisk masa harina, baking powder, and salt.
2. Stir in 1 1/2 cups warm broth or water and melted butter or oil. Mix until a soft dough forms. Let it sit 5 minutes, then check texture.
3. Texture check: it should feel like soft Play-Doh and not crack when you press it. If dry, add more warm liquid 1 tbsp at a time (up to about 1 3/4 cups total). If it feels sticky, let it rest another minute, or knead in a little extra masa harina 1 tbsp at a time.

5) Wrap the rellenos (soft and chewy style)

1. Divide masa into 6 equal balls. Keep them covered with a damp towel.
2. Place a dough ball between two pieces of plastic (cut zip-top bags work great) and press into a 7 to 8-inch oval. If your poblanos are extra big, go bigger, or plan to patch. Nobody is watching.
3. Set a stuffed poblano in the center. Wrap masa around it, sealing seams and smoothing the surface. If the dough does not fully meet, pinch and patch with a little extra masa until the pepper is fully sealed.
4. Place on a tray and repeat.

6) Fry until golden with crisp edges

1. Use a deep skillet or Dutch oven so the oil has room to rise. Add about 1 inch of neutral oil (more only if your pot can safely handle it) and heat to about 350°F. (If you do not have a thermometer, a small bit of masa should sizzle right away and float.)
2. Fry 2 rellenos at a time, turning carefully, until golden and set, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan. Crowding drops the temp and makes oil feel extra dramatic.
3. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt while hot.

7) Serve

1. Spoon warm sauce onto plates, add a relleno, then top with cilantro. Add radish or lettuce for crunch if you want.
2. Hit it with lime right before eating. That little pop makes the whole thing feel bright and intentional.