Cheese chiles rellenos with souffle batter and brothy tomato sauce

Heat about an inch to an inch and a half of oil in cast iron to about 360F; without a thermometer, the deep-fry smell and a slight shimmer show it is close.

Fry the poblanos in the hot oil (about 380 at this point) until evenly blistered, turning to do both sides; alternatively blister over an open flame or under a broiler.

Cool to room temperature, then rub off the blistered skin, using a little water for traction.

Slit each chili with a paring knife without cutting to the bottom, pull out the seed pod gently, rinse and drain on a paper-towel-lined sheet.

Press shredded Jack and Colby into a long football shape and fill each chili without overfilling, so the sides overlap.

Sew the chili closed with a short piece of bamboo skewer, down through the bottom and back up through the top once.

Freeze, flattened slightly, at least an hour, preferably three, or overnight until rock hard.

Film a pan over medium-high heat with olive oil. Blend the canned fire-roasted tomatoes to a coarse puree.

Fry the chopped white onion until browned outside but still crunchy inside.

Add the tomato puree and stir until reduced almost to tomato paste consistency, about 8 minutes.

Add chicken broth to make a brothy sauce, salt minimally, and simmer on low; thin with broth or water and adjust seasoning before serving.

Separate the eggs into a very clean, grease-free bowl with no trace of yolk in the whites.

Beat the whites with a little salt through frothy and soft peaks to stiff peaks.

Reheat the oil toward 360F.

Fold the yolks into the stiff whites with a spatula, then fold in about two tablespoons of flour to stabilize the batter.

Coat a frozen chili in flour, swirl it through the batter to coat evenly, and lower into the 360F oil.

Ladle hot oil gently over the top to set the batter; after about four minutes roll it over gently with two spatulas.

Fry two at a time; six take about half an hour in three batches. Drain on paper towels.

Variation: Oaxaca style - film a small skillet with hot oil over medium heat, spread an oval of batter, lay a cheese-filled banana pepper on it, cover with more batter, brown underneath and flip, three or four minutes per side.

Reheat the fried chilies on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 400 oven a few minutes, to crisp and melt the cheese.

Ladle a couple of ladles of the brothy sauce into each plate, set a chile relleno on it and garnish with flat leaf parsley.