Rachael's Chile Relleno with Chorizo Casserole

Preheat oven to 325˚F.

For the sauce, heat a saucepot over medium to medium-high heat with oil or melt butter and when it foams, add garlic and onion. Cook until soft, then whisk in flour and spices. Whisk in paste and stock and reduce heat to simmer and thicken a bit.

For the casserole, in a small nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat, brown and crumble the chorizo.

Char the peppers under broiler to blacken skins all over, then place them in a bowl and cover to cool. Peel the peppers and seed them. Fill each pepper with a 1-ounce chunk or stick of Pepper Jack, Jack or Chihuahua cheese and some crumbles of cooked chorizo or bits of leftover meats and/or charred corn kernels.

Line an 8-by-8-inch or 9-by-9-inch pan with half the sauce and top with 4 large peppers; repeat.

Whisk up the eggs and milk with salt, pepper, flour, baking powder, cilantro or parsley, and cheddar cheese, then pour over top and bake casserole to golden and puffed, about 1 hour.