Chiles Rellenos, Best of Show

Desert monsoons bring a rainbow, the sun splashes watermelon light over the Sandia Mountains, and we dance in the kitchen while we make chiles rellenos.

This chiles rellenos recipe wins Best of Show — the best take on this New Mexican classic I’ve ever found. There are a lot of steps, but every step is worth it. I suggest making it a date night, as I did, with my special Irish guy, and sitting out together to watch a rainbow and a sunset on the Sandia Mountains, as we did.

The recipe is from NYTimes Cooking, developed by Diana Davila, adapted by Melissa Clark. Davila is the owner of Mi Tocaya Antojeria in Chicago. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019820-diana-davilas-chiles-rellenos

The special burst of surprise in the sauce is achieved with a splash of carrot juice. The crispiness of the chiles is achieved with a batter of frothy egg whites. Here is my take, which uses ground pork (and not the duck confit).

She uses raisins. I refrained, not liking raisins!

I halved this recipe, freezing two portions so I could enjoy it again soon.

Two options here: Make it a date night and dance in the kitchen. It’s definitely a team-friendly recipe.