Chiles Rellenos Sauce

This is the brothy tomato sauce known in Mexican kitchens as caldillo, the simmer that traditionally bathes chiles rellenos at the table. Unlike thick red enchilada sauces, this is light and almost soupy, designed to be ladled around the rellenos so the egg-coated chiles soak up the savory broth without going soggy.

Strain the tomatoes after sauteing the aromatics is the technique that gives this sauce its signature smooth texture. Pressing canned tomatoes through a strainer removes seeds and skin while keeping all the pulp and juice. A blender works too but gives a slightly different texture with more aeration.

Dried Mexican oregano is the right choice when you can find it. It has a brighter, almost citrusy character that Mediterranean oregano lacks. The Mediterranean kind works in a pinch but tastes more pizza than Mexican.

The four cups of chicken broth to two cups of tomato is the right ratio for a proper caldillo. Less broth gives you a chunky tomato sauce, more gives soup. This balance lets the flavors carry over the rellenos without overpowering them.

The brief simmer (just to bring everything together) is what keeps the sauce light. Long cooking would reduce it into something thicker and concentrate the salt. Five minutes is plenty to marry the flavors.

Poaching the prepared chiles rellenos in the boiling sauce for 5 minutes finishes them while infusing the egg coating with flavor. This is what distinguishes restaurant rellenos from the home-fried version.

Pro Tips

• Use whole canned tomatoes, not crushed. The texture after straining is better.
• Saute the onion and garlic until just wilted, not browned. Browned aromatics make the sauce taste bitter against the delicate rellenos.
• For an even smoother sauce, run it through a fine sieve a second time after the broth goes in.
• Make a day ahead. The sauce tastes even better after the flavors marry overnight in the fridge.

Variations

• Add a roasted poblano or two to the sauce for a deeper, smokier flavor profile.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh cilantro at the end for color and brightness.
• Use vegetable broth instead of chicken for a vegetarian version.