Thanksgiving Chile Rellenos

For most of my childhood, Thanksgiving meant a variety of traditional Mexican dishes were served, and not so much the typical spread of roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole. When I was growing up, my grandma’s chiles rellenos were always on the table. Typically you’ll see chiles rellenos enrobed in an egg mixture, fried, and then topped with a tomato sauce, but this fun twist has been in my family for decades. 

In this recipe, corn is the star; it’s the main component in the filling (my grandma likes to use fresh corn, but you can substitute with frozen corn). She would also fill the chiles rellenos with Oaxaca cheese. Over the years, I found that Monterey Jack makes a great substitute when Oaxaca cheese is unavailable because it melts perfectly over the peppers and the corn filling. 

To make the flavorful tomato sauce, cook down tomatoes, garlic, and onion until they release their juices and all the flavors marry together. Then, blend the mixture and add it back to the pot. It will continue to cook on the stove, ensuring that you’re left with a luscious sauce with a hint of fresh oregano. Paired with the smoky poblano peppers, it makes for a mouthwatering dish that works as a side dish or a main course. I hope it brings as much joy to your Thanksgiving table as it brings to ours every year.

• Flavor in every bite! Between the melty cheese, corn filling, smoky poblano peppers, and silky tomato sauce, this dish is filled with layers of flavor.
• It’s great for any family gathering or as dinner with leftovers. These chiles rellenos are my favorite recipe to make when feeding a crowd. You can make one big batch and serve it with a side of Mexican rice for the perfect vegetarian-friendly meal.

• Poblano peppers. The poblano peppers, known for their low heat content and their delicious flavor once roasted, are the star of the show.
• Monterey Jack cheese. Its fat and moisture content makes it ideal for melting.
• Corn. Brings in a touch of sweetness and adds texture to the inside of the poblano peppers.
• Tomatoes. Bring a hint of acidity to the dish, making it fully balanced between the smokiness of the peppers and the sweetness of the corn. 

1. Roast the peppers. Arrange peppers on a baking sheet and broil until all the peppers are blistered. Place the peppers in a heatproof bowl and wrap tightly in plastic wrap set aside for 10 minutes. After broiling, the peppers will be fragile. 
2. Make the tomato sauce. Cook diced yellow onions, diced tomatoes, garlic, and fresh oregano in a skillet until softened. Remove the oregano stems and blend the mixture until smooth. Return to the skillet, cook for another 5 minutes, and then pour into the baking dish.
3. Make the filling. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, add thawed frozen corn, yellow onion, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and bay leaves and cook until softened.
4. Assemble the chiles. Carefully peel steamed poblano peppers, then gently open and scrape out the seeds and membranes. It’s important not to rinse the peppers while peeling to avoid losing any of the flavor that was built during the process, as the broiling process brings out a nice smoky flavor. It is important to handle them with care and avoid any large rips while peeling. Once done, place peppers slit-side up onto the baking dish, and fill them evenly with corn filling and top with Monterey jack cheese.
5. Bake the chiles rellenos. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and chopped parsley if desired.