Chilies rellenos

Chilies rellenos

Serves 3 to 4

Bob Edwards of Fair Oaks was wondering who made the best chilies rellenos in the Sacramento area.

Tom Hoeffel of Fair Oaks swears by the chilies rellenos at La Rosa Blanca at 2813 Fulton Ave. in Sacramento.

When Trine Nelson of Fair Oaks saw Edwards' question, she responded with "my husband." She said her family has been enjoying his labor of love for years. Here is his recipe, which comes from "Sunset Cook Book of Favorite Recipes," circa 1975.

Ingredients

Chiles

2 (4-ounce) cans California green chilies

½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, cut into sticks about ½-inch wide, ½-inch thick and 1 inch shorter than chilies, reserving some to shred for garnish

Flour batter

3 eggs, separated

1 tablespoon water

3 tablespoons flour

¼ teaspoon salt

Vegetable oil, for frying

Tomato sauce

3 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

1 (15-ounce) can Spanish-style tomato sauce

1/3 cup water

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon crumbled oregano

Shredded Monterey Jack cheese or sliced green onion tops for garnish

Instructions

For the chilies: Drain chilies, rinse and cut a slit down the side of each. Gently remove seeds and pith inside.

Stuff chilies with cheese sticks. Place flour in a shallow pan. Roll each chili in flour to coat all over. Gently shake off excess.

Prepare batter just before you want to fry the chilies.

For the batter: Separate eggs. Beat whites until soft peaks form. Beat yolks with 1 tablespoon water, 3 tablespoons flour and ¼ teaspoon salt until thick and creamy. Fold into whites.

Heat about 1½ inches of oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Dip stuffed chilies into the fluffy batter. Place on a saucer and slide into the hot oil. When the bottoms are golden brown, gently turn using a spatula and fork and cook other side, three to four minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

For the tomato sauce: Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter until golden. Stir in tomato sauce, 1/3 cup water, ¼ teaspoon salt and oregano. Simmer for 15 minutes. (Makes 2½ cups.)

To finish dish, top chilies with heated sauce and garnish with shredded cheese and/or sliced green onion tops.

Per serving, based on 4 servings: 394 calories; 21 grams protein; 20 grams carbohydrates; 26 grams fat (14 saturated, 3 monounsaturated, 3 polyunsaturated, 6 other); 198 milligrams cholesterol; 1,275 milligrams sodium; 2 grams fiber; 59 percent calories from fat.