[La Playita, Panamá City, Rep. of Panamá: 08º 55'  N/079º 32' W]

Linda and Bill of the bristol Hylas 49, Creola, served this fabulous meal to us and Mark and Liz (Rogue's Scholarship) just before Christmas 2006. 

Ingredients:

4 Chilies (large)

1/2 Cup of Flour

Salt

Pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

2 Eggs

8 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese

Olive oil

Linda's Vera Cruz Sauce:

1 Onion

1 or 2 Peppers

1 Jalepeno pepper

4 Fresh tomatoes

4 oz. tomato sauce

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp oregano

To blister chilies, cook over a gas burner, turning constantly until they're evenly charred and stop making popping sounds.  Wrap each chili in a paper towel and moisten with water to steam.  After a few minutes, peel skin off chili and cut a slit almost the full length of each chili.  Make a small "t" across the top, by the stem.  Pull out fibers and  seeds (the seeds are where the heat is) and replace with a slice of cheese.

For 4 chilies, that have been prepared as above, make a flour mixture:

1/2 cup of flour seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Roll the stuffed chilies in the flour to coat evenly.

Separate 2 eggs, beat the whites until very stiff, the beat the yolks and add to the whites and beat again, coat the chilies with the egg mix and fry in olive oil.

Use olive oil to just coat the bottom of the pan in which you are frying the chilies.  Fry each side of the chilies for  approx. 2-3 min until nice and browned.

When serving chilies, cover with Linda's (sailboat Creola) Vera Cruz Sauce prepared as follows:

Sautee lightly: 1 onion sliced, 1-2 peppers sliced, and one jalapeno diced.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add 4 diced fresh tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp oregano.  Continue to

test for seasoning and adjust. This sauce is also great on fish and chicken as well.