Chili Rellenos and Tomato Pie

The early summer garden is coming in strong with zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers in abundance.  The good wife has been busy making zucchini dill pickles, canning tomatoes, and trying a new recipe she found in a canning book for a tomato marmalade that is actually called Herbed Garden Marmalade.  We thought it would go well with grilled meats but after tasting it yesterday we also think it would be great on some crusty bread with some good cheese on the side.

Any way, we like using fresh tomatoes as much as possible while they are coming in and tomato pie is a favorite.  I also had 4 Pablano Peppers come in that we wanted to use for Chili Rellenos.  After talking about when they could be made it was decided to do both on the same night.  Talk about Cross Cultural Cuisine.

I'm sure most are familiar with restaurant chili rellenos, stuffed with cheese and smothered with a cheese sauce or a red sauce.  I did mine a bit different.  After all, you can put what pleases you inside the peppers.  I put in a mix of leftover spicy taco meat and added Mexican blend cheese from the store.

Chili Rellenos

4 Poblano peppers
1/3 cup taco meat
1/3 cup shredded cheese
4 eggs, room temperature
flour
oil

Roast the peppers until skin is charred.  This can be done over a gas stove, a grill, or use the broil function of your oven.  Once they are charred, put them in a bowl and cover with cling wrap and let sit for 10 - 15 minutes.  The skin should pull off easily at this time.  Do not do it under running water as that will wash away some of the good charred pepper flavor.  Cut a slit in the side of each pepper and remove the seeds and ribs being careful to not tear the pepper or make the slit too long.

Prepare your filling.  In my case, I stirred the cheese and taco meat together then a short burst in the microwave.  It was just enough to soften the cheese and let the mix hold together when spooned up.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.  Put the egg whites in a mixing bowl.  Whip until they are stiff.  Fold in the yolks.  This will be the coating for the peppers.

Stuffed and waiting to be battered and fried

Heat your frying oil to 350 F.  Deep frying works best for getting good color all around the pepper.  Fill each pepper with the stuffing mixture being sure not to over fill.  You have to be able to close the edges of the pepper back together.  Roll the pepper in the flour and shake off the excess.  Roll the pepper in the egg batter then place in the hot oil.  Fry until golden brown on all sides.

Fresh out of the fryer

Plate and top with salsa or the sauce of your choice.

Anything you like can be used for the stuffing.  There are about as many variations as there are states in Mexico from what I've found.  Most use cheese and the type of cheese is the variable but some use meat or rice or a mixture of meat and rice.  Many restaurants here in the states use a tempura style batter rather than the whipped egg batter as it is quicker to make up and can stand longer without breaking down or risking health issues due to temperature.

Now for one of our favorite dishes, Tomato Pie.  Tomato Pie is good both cold and hot and reheats well.  Give this one a try and I think you'll be hooked as well.

Tomato Pie

1 9 inch pie crust
4 medium tomatoes
1 medium Vidalia onion
6 - 8 slices bacon
2 - 3 Tbs chopped Basil
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Mayonnaise
kosher salt
black pepper
Panko

Pie Crust, makes enough for 2 double crust pies

4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup lard
1/2 cup cold water
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbs distilled white vinegar


Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in the lard until the mixture looks like coarse meal.

In a small bowl, combine the water, egg, and vinegar.  Add to the lard mixture and stir until the dough is moistened.  Turn dough out onto your cutting board and divide into 4 equal pieces.  Unused dough can be wrapped and held in the refrigerator for 3 - 5 days.  You can also wrap the dough in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and freeze for later use.

To assemble the Tomato Pie, first pre-bake the pie crust.  450 F for 15 minutes.  Dock the crust to avoid bubbles and add weights also. 

While the pie crust is baking, slice the tomatoes to 1/4 inch thickness and place on a baking rack over cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and let some of the fluid drain from the tomatoes.  Let them sit for 15 minutes.

Sliced and salted

Cut the bacon into 1/4 - 1/2 inch lardons and fry in a skillet until crisp.  Remove and drain on paper towels.

Chop the Vidalia onion, I do about a 1/4 inch dice.

Combine the Mozzarella, Parmesan, pepper, and Mayonnaise.  You should have a fairly stiff but still spreadable mixture.  If it is too stiff, add a bit more Mayonnaise.

Using half the tomatoes, put a layer of tomatoes at the bottom of the pie crust. Add half the onion, then half the bacon, then half the Basil.  Repeat with the remaining ingredients.  Top the layers with the cheese mixture and spread to the edges.  Lightly sprinkle Panko over the top. 

First layer

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned.

Hot from the oven

You can use any cheese you like for this.  You can also add more or use different herbs.  I'm thinking the next time I fix this I'll try a combination of herbs from the garden.

Plated up and ready to eat

So, there you have it, a combining of different cultures making a fine supper.  That is something to keep in mind.  You don't have to fix just one type of food for a meal.  Pull things in from every type that you like and have your own cross cultural meal.  You could be surprised at how well different types of cuisine can match together.

Uncle T