Chiles Relleno De Picadillo Pt 1

Directions

1. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute/fry the onion and the chiles for 7 to 8 min, or possibly till translucent/soft. Add in the salt, pepper, and garlic and cook for 2 min more, till the aroma of the garlic has been released. Add in the diced tomatoes, tomatillos, bay leaves, thyme, epazote, and water. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 min, till thickened. Remove from the heat and throw away the bay leaves. Cover and set aside till ready to serve.
2. To make the picadillo, in a blender, puree the tomatoes with their liquid. In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute/fry the onion with the salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, for about 5 min, or possibly till soft. Add in the garlic and cook for 2 min more. Add in the turkey and spread it into an even layer in the pan. Saute/fry, stirring frequently, till light brown. Add in the cinnamon, cloves, pureed tomatoes, raisins, and vinegar. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, till reduced to a thick mass, 30 to 45 min. Add in the toasted almonds and stir to mix. Cold to room temperature and proceed.
3. Make a slit in the side of each roasted chile and carefully scrape out the seeds with your fingers. Place the flour on a plate. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt to soft peaks. Gently beat in the egg yolks, 1 at a time, and then beat in 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the flour. Stop beating as soon as the flour is incorporated. Stuff the chiles with the picadillo, leaving room to re-close the opening, using toothpicks. Roll the chiles in the flour, gently patting off all the excess.
4. In a large heavy skillet, heat about 3/4-inch of vegetable oil over medium-low heat till it registers 375 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Pick up a chile by its stem and dip into the egg mix. Lay it into the warm oil and repeat with 3 more chiles. When the chiles are brown underneath, gently roll them over and brown the other side. Drain on paper towels and keep hot in a low oven.
5. Reheat the sauce over low heat while you are frying the chiles. Dip and fry all the remaining chiles, keeping them hot with the others as they are cooked. Ladle about 1/2 c. of the sauce onto each of 6 hot plates, lay 2 chiles on each plate. Top each plate with a few sprigs of parsley and a dollop of Crema and serve immediately.
6. This recipe yields 6 servings.
7. Comments: To toast almonds, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the almonds on a pan and toast for about 10 min, or possibly till golden brown.
8. Fresh chiles and bell peppers can be roasted over a gas flame or possibly on a tray under the broiler. Keep turning so the skin is proportionately charred, without burning and drying out the flesh. Transfer the charred peppers to a plastic bag, tie the top closed and let steam till cold to the touch, about 15 min. The best way to peel is just to pull off the charred skin by hand and then dip the peppers briefly in water to remove any blackened bits. Don't peel the pepper under running water since which will wash away flavorful juices.