Chiles Rellenos Throwdown

Bobby Flay: I’m at La Casita Mexican in L.A. for a Chile Relleno. Once I get an important bit of clarification— We get right to the chilies. Ramiro: What is he using? Bobby Flay: I’m making a beer batter for the chilies. We’re going to fry the Chile Rellenos in a batter looking for like a light consistency just to coat the chili. Ramiro: He’s going to make a batter. Jaime: You need to have a little a bit. That’s a tequila Bobby Flay: Thank you very much. Jaime: So, you get ready to cook. Bobby Flay: Cheers! Thank you so much. Tell me, what kind of Chile Rellenos are you guys making? Ramiro: With the nopales cactus. Bobby Flay: Cactus. Ramiro: Mushroom, garlic, onion, tomato, sate, and we have a secret that we’re going to add at the end. Bobby Flay: So, it’s vegetarian. I’m making one vegetarian as well, roasted eggplant with some garlic, some manchego cheese from Spain and some Monterey Jack. Ramiro: I’m drooling already. Bobby Flay: I think we’ll be making two very different rellenos. I love the fact that they're using cactus because cactus is such a true essence of a really great Mexican cuisine and it’s under utilized by people in America. But the big difference is I'm frying mine. I’m sort of sewing that with a skewer to keep it together and I dredge it in the beer batter and the corneo and I can fry it. Ramiro: After you roast it and you put it in the plastic bag, you let it sweat, and then you clean it and seed it. A lot of people when they do this, they wash the chilies. Don’t do that because if you wash it, you take away the flavors. So, keep the smokiness in it and it will taste 100% better. Ramiro: Tomatoes, a little bit of onion. Jaime: A little bit of garlic there too—it’s very light, it’s very good and very healthy too. Bobby Flay: Hey, your sauce is healthy too. Roasted red peppers, red wine vinegar, some garlic, roasted garlic, and some fresh garlic. Ramiro: Seems like we’re the same but ours is simpler. It is not so sophisticated like yours but it has a lot of taste in it. Bobby Flay: Talking with Ramiro gives me an idea. Do you have any chipotles? Can I borrow some chipotles? Ramiro: Of course. This is a competition but we will be more than happy to share those chipotles with him. We’ll be delighted to. Bobby Flay: Yes, that was good! With the final piece of my sauce plugged in place, it’s time to head to the fryers. Beautiful! Ramiro: Once I go on over there in the kitchen, I just want to know what’s been over there in the kitchen. Hello! Bobby Flay: We spread red pepper sauce in the plate and added a drizzle of our balsamic reduction before placing the fried chilies on top. You have to check this out. Push them in a little bit and then pull them out, okay? Jaime and Ramiro put the finishing touch—much filling. Ramiro: We’re going to put a little bit of tequila. We’re going to twist the recipe. We’re going to add more flavor to the cactus with tequila. Bobby Flay: You like a lot of tequila or just a little bit of tequila. As soon as they stuffed their chili, we’re ready to taste. Ramiro: Like an explosion of flavors in my mouth. The red, the chili, the stuffing, and the salsa, it’s very, very good. Bobby Flay: Thank you very much. Ramiro: Congratulations! Bobby Flay: Thank you. I feel like I’m in a garden in Mexico and I mean I love the cactus. I think it’s delicious and the sauce is fantastic. Jaime and Ramiro: Thank you. Thank you very much. Female: We came to our conclusion and today’s bottom winner is dish B. Jaime: Having long baking for this place, we’re making some. Bobby Flay: I think that the killer—was the nopales, the delicious cactus. Fantastic! And it was a great party. Female: We officially vote equally, equally are good but I have to go for the one that was so happy, healthier Mexican cuisine. Female: They’re both spectacular dishes bit I go for the one that tasted like Mexico. Female: It was a lot of fun. And that’s what counts. Female: Adios again! Female: Adios!