Chiles Rellenos Gratin

5 Reviews
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Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke
Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed chile)
By David Joachim
May 2003
RECIPE BY Cooking Light

Unlike traditional stuffed chiles, this dish is baked like a casserole. The chiles are smothered in a creamy, spicy white sauce and topped with a cheese-rich breadcrumb mixture that crisps as it cooks.

Ingredients

  • 8 poblano chiles
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled queso fresco, divided
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper, divided
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and divided
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

Nutritional Information

  • Calories 216
  • Caloriesfromfat 30%
  • Fat 7.1g
  • Satfat 3.3g
  • Monofat 1.9g
  • Polyfat 0.8g
  • Protein 9.1g
  • Carbohydrate 33.1g
  • Fiber 5.9g
  • Cholesterol 16mg
  • Iron 2.3mg
  • Sodium 574mg
  • Calcium 148mg

How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat broiler.

Step 2

Place chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 3 inches from heat 8 minutes or until blackened, turning after 4 minutes. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and discard skins. Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile; discard seeds, leaving stems intact.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350°.

Step 4

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add bell pepper; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add corn, onions, nuts, and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup cheese, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper.

Step 5

Place half of beans in a bowl; mash with a fork. Add mashed beans and whole beans to corn mixture. Spoon about 1/3 cup bean mixture into each chile; fold sides of chile over filling. Arrange stuffed chiles in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; set aside.

Step 6

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; add 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper, cumin, and nutmeg, and stir with a whisk. Cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Gradually add flour, and stir with a whisk; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk. Stir with a whisk until blended.

Step 7

Increase heat to medium. Cook milk mixture 8 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and lime juice. Pour milk mixture over stuffed chiles.

Step 8

Combine remaining 1/4 cup cheese and breadcrumbs; sprinkle over milk mixture. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.

Step 9

Preheat broiler.

Step 10

Broil 1 minute or until top is golden brown.

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Ratings & Reviews

CAgirlinIA's Review

lacook
September 21, 2011
I agree with Key Lime Pie. The end result was not worth the time investment. I, too, love poblano peppers and I had saved this recipe in my "must make" folder for some time before making it. I won't make it again. The quinoa stuffed poblanos (either So. Living or CL - personally I like the So. Living best) are WAY better and less time invasive.

Lumpy52's Review

Lumpy52
April 24, 2011
These are a favorite for us. The first time I made them I put all of the red pepper into the chilis; never made that mistake again. It is time consuming but worth it. I frequently make up extra stuffed peppers and freeze them for later. Once defrosted just add the sauce and bake.

KeyLimePie's Review

CAgirlinIA
September 12, 2010
I could have made 2 meals in the time it took to make this dish. I love poblano peppers, so I was excited about it, but the reality was that it just wasn't a very good investment.

EllenDeller's Review

KeyLimePie
June 21, 2009
We loved this recipe. I make stuffed peppers and chiles all the time and have never had one quite this good. I followed the directions exactly except that I put the pine nuts on top right before broiling. I made the peppers around 10 pm Wed. night when I was too tired to do anything else, then after work Thurs. whipped up the sauce (with 1/2 as much cornstarch instead of flour--much quicker that way) and baked them. Served with a simple rice cooked in chicken stock and the CL jicama-carrot slaw.

lacook's Review

EllenDeller
December 18, 2008
this was so bland. i thought by the ingredients it would be delicious - it certainly looked nice. but i guess they ask you to add all that salt at the end (which i won't do - that was way too much salt) because without it the dish tastes like mush. i won't make it again but i bet it would taste much better with feta rather than that bland mexican queso fresca.