Seafood Rellenos

6 fresh pasilla chiles, roasted and peeled. Cut around top of chile, inches from stem, and save top. Cut open chile.

6 eggs

6 oz. Queso Fresco or Monterey Jack, cut into 1" strips

2 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

2 garlic olives, finely chopped

1/4 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 medium tomato, finely diced

8 medium shrimp or prawns, peeled, deveined & diced

10 large. sea scallops, diced

6 C. lard or vegetable oil

Melt butter and oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until golden brown, add garlic, shrimp, and scallops. Sauté for 3 min. Add tomatoes and cook for 1 min. Remove from heat, set aside.

Stuff pasilla chile with one strip of Queso Fresco and fill with shrimp mixture to 3/4 full. Replace top with chile stem. Set aside. Heat lard in large, heavy frying pan at medium-high heat.

Separate egg yolks from whites, set yolks aside. Beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form (do not over-beat). With fork, break up egg yolk, then gently fold into egg white until completely incorporated. Test melted lard for correct temperature (drop a small dab of egg mixture into lard- if it gently cooks, it is correct).

With a large 6 oz. spoon, carefully pour a heaping spoonful of egg mixture into melted lard. Cook for 2 min., until the edges of egg mixture turns light golden brown. Carefully place stuffed chile on top of egg mixture. With spatula, gently fold egg mixture using the side of the pan to complete the fold. Cook until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel.

Serve with your choice of sauce, a tomatillo or red chile sauce would be nice.

Serves 6.