Guest Author - Terri Perkins Fulton

Have you ever cut into one of these golden-battered delicacies at your favorite Mexican restaurant, watched the cheese ooze out of it's green pepper pocket and wished you could create a treat like this in your own kitchen? Well you can, and if you follow these four basic steps you'll even find it's easy. Serve with the Easy Tomato Sauce recipe that follows for truly Mexican feast.

Perfect Chiles Rellenos with Easy Tomato Sauce

Serves 4

4 large Anaheim Chiles
4 large eggs, separated
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese cut into 8 1-ounce strips
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for frying

Step 1: Toast the chiles on a very hot griddle, under a broiler or in a toaster oven until blackened and bubbled in spots on all sides, about 5 minutes. Place the chiles immediately in a sealed paper bag to cool for 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

When the chiles are cool, peel off as much skin as will come off easily. Slit the chiles from the top of one side to the tip, leaving about 1/2 inch on each end to form a pocket.

Step 2: Place two strips of cheese inside each chile and close the chile back up. Spread 1/4-cup flour on a large plate. Coat the peppers entirely in the flour by rolling them on the plate. Leave them on the plate and set aside.

Step 3: Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Beat in the salt, baking powder and 1-tablespoon flour. Blend the yolks together with a fork and then fold them into the egg white mixture.

Step 4: Pour enough oil into a large heavy skillet to measure 1/2 inch deep and warm over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, pick up one pepper by the stem with one hand, holding it closed with the other. Dip the chile into the batter and immediately lay in the hot oil. Dab a little batter with a spoon where your fingers were if you need to (the chile should be covered in batter except for the stem). Repeat with the remaining chiles. Do not crowd in the pan.

Cook the chiles until light brown and then roll them over. Continue to turn and fry them until golden on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven while preparing the Easy Tomato Sauce. To serve, place one chile on each plate and pour some sauce over.

Easy Tomato Sauce

Pour oil from same skillet and discard, leaving the skillet lightly coated. Saut� 1/2 of a medium, finely chopped onion and 2 finely chopped medium tomatoes (or 1 cup canned Mexican-style tomatoes) for about two minutes. Add 1/4 cup water or chicken broth and salt and to taste. Simmer about five minutes while making a paste of 1/2 a teaspoon of flour and a little water. Add the paste to the sauce and cook until thickened to the consistency of gravy, about three to five more minutes.