Blog reader Helen saw the chiles rellenos recipes in this past Wednesday’s Extra section, but she has pointed out that the recipe calls for charring peppers, which she’s not sure how to do. This was an oversight on my part– I should have included some quick instructions on charring peppers for those who have never done it before.
It’s pretty easy, Helen. Here’s what I’ve done:
Get your grill going on a high heat. Wash the peppers, but otherwise leave them whole. Pretty much any larger pepper you want to use is fine. Varieties like bell peppers or Anaheims or poblanos work very well. Place the peppers on the grill and grill them, turning slowly, until they become charred (black) on the outside. Then place them in a paper bag or a dish covered with plastic wrap. Let them sit and steam until they are tender and cool enough to touch.
After that, it should be fairly easy to peel the skin off. You may not be able to get all of the skin off, but you should be able to slip off most of it. After that, proceed with your recipe!
As always, if any readers have additional tips or disagree with something I’ve said, feel free to chime in and help our friend Helen.