Chiles Rellenos with Pork Picadillo

For the tomato sauce base

1. Puree the drained tomatoes in a food processor until smooth.

2. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the chopped onion, and cook until nicely browned, about 6–8 minutes.

3. Add the tomato puree, the reserved tomato juices, cinnamon, and black pepper, stirring to combine.

4. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, until thickened to a rich sauce consistency, about 25 minutes.

   Then 25 min of waiting

5. Measure out 2 cups of the sauce base and set it aside for the picadillo filling.

6. Stir the chicken broth into the remaining sauce in the pot, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes.

   Then 45 min of waiting

For the pork picadillo filling

7. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground pork until fully cooked, about 8–10 minutes.

8. Add the 2 cups of reserved tomato sauce base, cider vinegar, and raisins to the cooked pork.

9. Simmer over medium heat until the liquid has reduced and the mixture is very thick, about 20 minutes.

   Then 20 min of waiting

10. Stir in the toasted slivered almonds and salt to taste, then remove from heat and allow the filling to cool completely to room temperature.

For the chiles and batter

11. Heat 2–3 inches of oil in a heavy skillet or deep-fryer to 350°F (175°C).

12. Deep-fry the poblano chiles in batches, turning occasionally with tongs, until the skin is blistered and light green all over, 1 minute per batch.

    Choose chiles without deep crevices, as they are much easier to peel evenly.

13. Transfer the fried chiles to paper towels to drain, then peel off the blistered outer skin under cold running water.

14. Make a vertical slit along the side of each chile, carefully reach inside to remove the seed pod and core without tearing the chile, and rinse clean.

15. Squeeze the chiles gently to remove all excess water.

16. Stuff each chile generously with the cooled pork picadillo, pressing the slit closed.

17. Secure the slit on each stuffed chile by threading a wooden skewer or toothpick horizontally across the opening.

18. Place the stuffed chiles on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap and freeze for 1–2 hours to firm them up.

    Then 60 min of waiting

    Freezing makes the stuffed chiles much easier to handle when battering and frying, but you can also roll unfrozen chiles in flour before dipping.

19. Reheat the oil in the skillet to 360°F (182°C).

20. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff, thick white peaks form, 3–4 minutes.

21. With the mixer running on low speed, add the egg yolks two at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate completely before adding the next.

22. Add the 2 tbsp of flour and mix just until a light, airy, souffle-like batter forms.

23. Working one at a time, hold a chilled chile by its stem, dip it completely into the batter, lift it straight up to let excess drip off, and lower gently into the hot oil.

24. Fry 2–3 chiles at a time, gently spooning hot oil over the tops to set the batter, for 2–3 minutes.

25. Carefully flip the chiles using a small spatula and a slotted spoon, and fry the second side until deep golden brown all over, 2–3 minutes more.

26. Transfer the fried chiles to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain, remove the wooden skewers, and replace the paper towels with parchment paper.

To finish and serve

27. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

28. Bake the chiles on the parchment-lined sheet for 15 minutes to crisp the batter and render out excess oil.

    Then 15 min of waiting

29. To assemble, ladle a pool of the hot, brothy tomato sauce onto a rimmed serving plate.

30. Place a warm chile relleno in the center of the sauce, garnish with a sprig of fresh flat-leaf parsley, and serve at once with a glass of champagne.

For serving