I have a mission; I used to live in Columbus Ohio and a restaraunt there
has the best chili rellanos I've ever had. Now I live far away, and haven't
been able to find anyone else who makes them nearly as good, so I want to
try to replicate them- I need help in two areas:

(1) I need to buy a small deep fryer. I went to the library to check
consumer reports, but couldn't find a report on deep fryers (they seem to
focus on larger appliances). I'm interested in feedback or websites that
have independent reviews of fryers to help me decide which one to get
(safety, ease of cleaning and storing, etc). Information about which ones
to stay away from (and why) is also helpful.

(2) a recipe that is like what I'm trying to replicate. These chilis hold
their shape (not panfried), and seem to have more of a thick cornbread
batter rather than what I've had at other places (more of a flour and egg
batter). I'm not positive, but I think there may be more than one type of
white cheese inside. The sauce is a "smoked chili" sauce which I think is
chipotle(?). In case there are any ambitious cooks on this forum living in
Columbus that want to help figure out the recipe, the place I'm referring
to is the Starliner Diner in Hilliard. Once I have a frier I'm willing to
try multiple recipes- rather than posting a bunch here please feel free to
point me to relevant websites.

Thanks!
Keith

On Aug 25, 7:43 pm, Keith wrote:
I have a mission; I used to live in Columbus Ohio and a restaraunt there
has the best chili rellanos I've ever had. [big snip]

(2) a recipe that is like what I'm trying to replicate. These chilis hold
their shape (not panfried), and seem to have more of a thick cornbread
batter rather than what I've had at other places (more of a flour and egg
batter). ['nother big snip]

Are you sure about a "cornbread batter"? That would be quite
unusual. The typical chile relleno batter is whipped egg whites,
beaten egg yolks folded in, and a little flour and maybe a pinch of
salt. Say 3 eggs and 3 TB flour. That sounds fragile, but it's not
when deepfried at about 400F. It adheres well to the chiles (some
people lightly dust them with flour before dipping in the batter), and
fries to a nice golden substantial coating. I'd recommend trying that
before searching for a heavier batter that may not have been what you
thought it was.

By the way, if you decide to use just a pot rather than a deep fryer
appliance, note that "full of oil" is figurative speech. You don't
ever want to use more oil than half the pot's capacity. Too
dangerous. -aem

A deep fryer is not required for making chili rellenos. I use a skillet
with maybe an inch of oil.

The batter is a beaten egg white, beaten until fairly stiff. First roll
the peppers in flour, then coat them with the beaten egg whites, then
roll them in bread crumbs.

You will char and peel the peppers first. Just make sure your heat is
very hot, you do not want to over cook the peppers. I hate it when that
happens.

Becca

In article ,
Becca wrote:

A deep fryer is not required for making chili rellenos. I use a skillet
with maybe an inch of oil.

The batter is a beaten egg white, beaten until fairly stiff. First roll
the peppers in flour, then coat them with the beaten egg whites, then
roll them in bread crumbs.

You will char and peel the peppers first. Just make sure your heat is
very hot, you do not want to over cook the peppers. I hate it when that
happens.

Becca

Can you use canned whole peppers?
--
Peace, Om

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"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

Omelet wrote:
In article ,
Becca wrote:

A deep fryer is not required for making chili rellenos. I use a skillet
with maybe an inch of oil.

The batter is a beaten egg white, beaten until fairly stiff. First roll
the peppers in flour, then coat them with the beaten egg whites, then
roll them in bread crumbs.

You will char and peel the peppers first. Just make sure your heat is
very hot, you do not want to over cook the peppers. I hate it when that
happens.

Becca

Can you use canned whole peppers?

Yes, you can use canned peppers.

Becca

"Becca" wrote in message
...
Omelet wrote:
In article ,
Becca wrote:

A deep fryer is not required for making chili rellenos. I use a
skillet
with maybe an inch of oil.

The batter is a beaten egg white, beaten until fairly stiff. First
roll
the peppers in flour, then coat them with the beaten egg whites, then
roll them in bread crumbs.

You will char and peel the peppers first. Just make sure your heat is
very hot, you do not want to over cook the peppers. I hate it when that
happens.

Becca

Can you use canned whole peppers?

Yes, you can use canned peppers.


I second that, but you don't get the stem which makes for a great handle.
And do be careful to dry the peppers with paper towels. Otherwise the
batter slides right off. I have found Crisco in an iron skillet works
great. I like to use a bit more than an inch, I fill it to within 1/3 of
the height of the skillet.

Paul

On Aug 26, 6:23 pm, Becca wrote:
Omelet wrote:
In article ,
Becca wrote:

A deep fryer is not required for making chili rellenos. I use a skillet
with maybe an inch of oil.

The batter is a beaten egg white, beaten until fairly stiff. First roll
the peppers in flour, then coat them with the beaten egg whites, then
roll them in bread crumbs.

You will char and peel the peppers first. Just make sure your heat is
very hot, you do not want to over cook the peppers. I hate it when that
happens.

Becca

Can you use canned whole peppers?

Yes, you can use canned peppers.

Only if you want them to be totally crappy.

Becca

--Bryan

In article ,
Becca wrote:

Omelet wrote:
In article ,
Becca wrote:

A deep fryer is not required for making chili rellenos. I use a skillet
with maybe an inch of oil.

The batter is a beaten egg white, beaten until fairly stiff. First roll
the peppers in flour, then coat them with the beaten egg whites, then
roll them in bread crumbs.

You will char and peel the peppers first. Just make sure your heat is
very hot, you do not want to over cook the peppers. I hate it when that
happens.

Becca

Can you use canned whole peppers?

Yes, you can use canned peppers.

Becca

I'll have to try that then, thanks. :-)
I really don't have a way to easily toast them for peeling, unless I use
my kitchen blow torch.
--
Peace, Om

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"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

In article AKoAi.1347$Ya2.458@trnddc05,
"Paul M. Cook" wrote:

"Becca" wrote in message
...
Omelet wrote:
In article ,
Becca wrote:

A deep fryer is not required for making chili rellenos. I use a
skillet
with maybe an inch of oil.

The batter is a beaten egg white, beaten until fairly stiff. First
roll
the peppers in flour, then coat them with the beaten egg whites, then
roll them in bread crumbs.

You will char and peel the peppers first. Just make sure your heat is
very hot, you do not want to over cook the peppers. I hate it when that
happens.

Becca

Can you use canned whole peppers?

Yes, you can use canned peppers.


I second that, but you don't get the stem which makes for a great handle.
And do be careful to dry the peppers with paper towels. Otherwise the
batter slides right off. I have found Crisco in an iron skillet works
great. I like to use a bit more than an inch, I fill it to within 1/3 of
the height of the skillet.

Paul

Hm, wonder if that has been my problem with trying to batter stuff in
the past for deep frying? I've never been able to get it to stick well,
even for chicken! I'd never dried stuff off.

I'm not much into battered deep frying anyway (I generally just use a
light dusting instead) but that won't do for Rellanos.

Thanks.
--
Peace, Om

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"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

Om wrote:

I really don't have a way to easily toast them for peeling,
unless I use my kitchen blow torch.

You can loosen the peel by frying or broiling them, then letting them sit in
a covered bowl for fifteen minutes or so. But what's wrong with using your
blowtorch?

I'm following this discussion with interest, because I just got a bunch of
New Mexico chiles and I want to experiment with rellenos. I'm going to try
an Indian version in which I stuff the chiles with paneer, coat and fry the
chiles as in chiles rellenos, and then cover it with a spiced tomato-and-pea
sauce. I also want to try stuffing the chiles with panisse (a.k.a. garbanzo
polenta), coating and frying them as in chiles rellenos, and then serving
them with chicken-andouille gumbo.

Bob

In article ,
"Bob Terwilliger" wrote:

Om wrote:

I really don't have a way to easily toast them for peeling,
unless I use my kitchen blow torch.

You can loosen the peel by frying or broiling them, then letting them sit in
a covered bowl for fifteen minutes or so. But what's wrong with using your
blowtorch?

Nothing.
I just need a fire safe surface to do it on. I'd rather not risk my
glass top stove. I'd have to torch outside and the weather right now is
miserable and there are tons of skeeters.

I like the idea of just lightly frying them.

Would blanching work like doing tomatoes?
I've never tried that, but it sounds easier if it'd work.
Peeling tomatoes is a breeze.

I'm following this discussion with interest, because I just got a bunch of
New Mexico chiles and I want to experiment with rellenos. I'm going to try
an Indian version in which I stuff the chiles with paneer, coat and fry the
chiles as in chiles rellenos, and then cover it with a spiced tomato-and-pea
sauce. I also want to try stuffing the chiles with panisse (a.k.a. garbanzo
polenta), coating and frying them as in chiles rellenos, and then serving
them with chicken-andouille gumbo.

Bob

Sounds like a fun and interesting recipe.
--
Peace, Om

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"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

Om wrote:

You can loosen the peel by frying or broiling them, then letting them sit
in a covered bowl for fifteen minutes or so. But what's wrong with using
your blowtorch?

Nothing.
I just need a fire safe surface to do it on. I'd rather not risk my
glass top stove. I'd have to torch outside and the weather right now is
miserable and there are tons of skeeters.

I like the idea of just lightly frying them.

Would blanching work like doing tomatoes?
I've never tried that, but it sounds easier if it'd work.
Peeling tomatoes is a breeze.

I think boiling water isn't hot enough to loosen the skin on chiles. You
probably need something that can be heated to 350F or so. (Heh... I'm
remembering Jill's posting about 400F peanut brittle! Before anyone jumps up
in denial, see Message-ID: . Of course
she was wrong, as can be seen by looking at the recipe she uses rather than
her talking-out-of-her-ass to Steve -- such RESPECT they have for each
other!: Message-ID: )

Regarding your blowtorch, could you hold the chiles by the stem with a pair
of tongs, and rotate them in the flame? Or stick a skewer in right next to
the stem and use it to position the chile to blister all the sides? That
technique would probably be easier if the torch has a stand; I don't know
whether yours does or not.

Bob

In article ,
"Bob Terwilliger" wrote:

I think boiling water isn't hot enough to loosen the skin on chiles. You
probably need something that can be heated to 350F or so.
snipped unnecessary flame

Regarding your blowtorch, could you hold the chiles by the stem with a pair
of tongs, and rotate them in the flame? Or stick a skewer in right next to
the stem and use it to position the chile to blister all the sides? That
technique would probably be easier if the torch has a stand; I don't know
whether yours does or not.

Bob

No, the torch does not have a stand but the gas bottles have a flat
bottom so it can sit on the counter. I never thought of just holding the
pepper with tongs.

Duh. :-)

Funny too because I've done silver soldering with an oxybutane
mini-torch and that's exactly what I do with the jewelry.

Thanks for the idea! I tend to overlook the simple solutions sometimes.
I think it goes with the genetic territory. Dad is a retired aerospace
engineer and I'm usually better than him at simple solutions, but not
always...

Gotta be genetic or something.
--
Peace, Om

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Om wrote:

No, the torch does not have a stand but the gas bottles have a flat
bottom so it can sit on the counter. I never thought of just holding the
pepper with tongs.

Well, I *thought* about that, but considered that it might be hazardous if
the bottle was tall. I pictured myself knocking the torch over with the
flame going, knocking the valve off and turning the bottle into a flaming
rocket.

I worry about that kind of thing. I'd probably fabricate some way to hold it
in place, like with a hose clamp or an oil filter wrench firmly attached to
something stationary.

Bob

In article ,
"Bob Terwilliger" wrote:

Om wrote:

No, the torch does not have a stand but the gas bottles have a flat
bottom so it can sit on the counter. I never thought of just holding the
pepper with tongs.

Well, I *thought* about that, but considered that it might be hazardous if
the bottle was tall. I pictured myself knocking the torch over with the
flame going, knocking the valve off and turning the bottle into a flaming
rocket.

I worry about that kind of thing. I'd probably fabricate some way to hold it
in place, like with a hose clamp or an oil filter wrench firmly attached to
something stationary.

Bob

A very valid concern. :-)

I know I always supported my diving tanks when they were stored full due
to the danger of a "rocket" taking out a wall, or a leg......

I could hold the torch with one hand and the tongs with the other, or
just shanghai a second person into helping me.
--
Peace, Om

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"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson