Chilis Rellenos Casserole

By cindygwest

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 pounds 90 percent lean ground beef
• 4 poblano chiles (or 6 Anaheim), stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (10-ounce) can Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained
• 10 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 2 large egg whites

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in beef, breaking up meat into small pieces, and cook until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef mixture to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet.

2. Add poblanos and cook over medium-high heat until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in beef mixture, garlic, cumin, ¾ teaspoon salt, oregano, ½ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook until beef mixture is dry, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in 2 cups Monterey Jack. Scrape mixture into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pressing into even layer.

3. Combine flour, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Slowly whisk milk into flour mixture until smooth; set aside. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Whisk one-third whipped egg whites into batter, then gently fold in remaining whites, 1 scoop at a time, until combined.

4. Pour batter over beef mixture. Bake until topping is light golden and puffed, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve.