Instructions: Roast the garlic. To prepare the chiles, lay them flat on a baking sheet and place under the broiler, turning occasionally, until blistered all over. When the chiles are blistered, remove them from the broiler and cover them with a clean towel. After 20 minutes, the skin will separate from the flesh. To peel the chiles, have a bowl of water ready to dip your fingers into, and very carefully pull the skin away from the flesh. Remove the seeds by making a small slit toward the stem end of the chile with a paring knife and reaching in gently with your fingers to remove them. Dip your fingers in the bowl of water to help remove seeds from your fingers. (Its not necessary to remove every last seed.) When the roasted garlic is cool, squeeze out the cloves and set aside.

To prepare the stuffing, preheat the oven to 325. In a bowl, combine the cheeses, cilantro, black beans, pumpkin seeds, scallions, 1 tablespoon of the chipotle puree, and the spices. Stuff each chile and arrange in a lightly oiled baking dish. Bake 20 minutes, or until filling is completely hot. While the chiles are baking, make the sauce in a blender by pureeing the corn with the heavy cream, roasted garlic cloves, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of chipotle puree. Transfer to a saute pan or skillet and heat through. Place the sour cream in a bowl and whisk or stir to a creamy consistency.

To serve the rellenos, place a small amount of sauce on each plate and lay a chile in the middle of the sauce. With a teaspoon, drop a small dot of sour cream to each side of the chile. Place a cilantro leaf on each of the dots of sour cream for a lovely presentation.

There are almost as many versions of chiles rellenos as there are tomato sauces in an Italian household. In New Mexico, the stuffed chiles are typically fried in a simple egg mixture. In Colorado, they are batter-fried. In certain regions of Mexico, the chiles are baked instead of fried and smothered in a walnut sauce.

This recipe is closest to the latter
in that the chiles are stuffed, baked, and served on a cream sauce of roasted corn and smoky chipotle chiles. The black beans and pumpkin seeds in the stuffing create a rich texture. This makes a colorful appetizer for 12, or serve it as an entree with a salad of brown rice, peas, and chopped scallions, followed by a green lettuce salad topped with fresh tomatoes.

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