Typically, these chiles are stuffed simply with cheese, but the filling may be varied quite a bit depending on your tastes. Replace up to half the cheese with fresh corn kernels, Picadillo, Braised Carnitas, or Frijoles de la Olla. If you’re feeling indulgent, use these stuffed fried peppers as a burrito filling. Our favorite chiles to use in this dish are Big Jims, a New Mexico variety, with Anaheims a close second. Poblanos may be substituted, but their flesh is thinner, which makes peeling off the outer skin difficult. Please read about Deep-Frying.

Roast:

Peel the charred skin from the chiles. Make a long slit in one side of each chile and remove the seeds. Pat dry. Preheat the oven to 200°F.

Mix together in a medium bowl:

Stuff the chiles with the cheese mixture. Prepare using 3 eggs and folding in the optional whipped egg whites:

Heat to 350°F in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven:

Place one chile in the batter at a time and spoon the batter over the top. Lift it out of the batter, allow the excess to drip off, and place gently in the oil (a fish spatula is excellent for this task). Fry 3 chiles at a time until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. If the batter runs off and leaves a chile looking bare, you may spoon more batter over that spot and turn to fry again. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels, cover loosely with foil, and keep warm in the oven while you fry the remaining chiles. Serve topped with: