Chiles en Nogada~ Pork Picadillo Stuffed Poblanos With a Walnut Sauce

Chiles en Nogada is a roasted and stuffed poblano, typically pork, that is covered in a walnut sauce. The very distinct garnish of pomegranate and parsley are meant to represent the colors of the Mexican flag. The origins  date back to 1821 and was originally prepared by nuns in a  convent in Puebla, Mexico. It is a very celebrated dish for the month of September, specifically, the week of September 16th. This is the day Mexico celebrates it’s Independence Day. I will never forget how my Mom would tell us the story every year and how she would make us go outside and yell, as loud as we could, Viva Mexico! Ha, ha, ha! I still do it, just quietly, and get all chocked up in the meantime. And as soon as I find the pomegranate, you know I will be preparing this dish!!! #foodieforlife #mexicanfood #vivamexico 

Every year around this time, it is a mad dash to the market in search of pomegranates! And of course I can never find them, ever! Good thing that I have some pictures filed away from previous times I have prepared chiles en nogada.

I used ground pork and beef, but it is more traditional to chop the pork butt/shoulder very small.

This recipe is for chiles en nogada without the egg batter, but you can find the link below for the full recipe on how to prepare the batter. In Puebla, it is traditional to dip the stuffed poblanos with the egg batter and fry until golden all around. The sauce above had no cheese. You can see the difference.

 Roasting Poblanos:  Choose your method of roasting the poblanos. A quick method: Set the top rack in oven about 8 to 10 inches from top broiler. Preheat oven to broil on high. Place the poblanos on baking sheet and broil for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time. Make sure most of the skins blister. You may have to rotate your peppers, all ovens vary. Remove peppers from oven and transfer to a plastic bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let them cool. Peel blistered skins and carefully clean out the seeds.

Click onto the link above to see full recipe on how to prepare egg battered covered rellenos.

In the past I have added some bolillo bread in the sauce as a thickener. It was delicious as well. Chef’s choice!

The recipe for the picadillo is good enough to fill 8 large poblanos.

Chiles en Nogada

A traditional dish prepared in honor of Mexico's Independence Day! The colors green, white and red represent the Mexican flag.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Course, Pork

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 6 large chiles poblanos roasted(see directions below)

For Filling

• Avocado oil
• 1/2 pound ground pork  finely chopped pork is more traditional
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 c white onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 plantain, yellow, not green
• 2   roma tomatoes previously roasted, blended
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of ground clove

Then Add

• 2 tbsps blanched almonds
• 2 tbsps pine nuts
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 c fresh pear diced
• 1/2 c fresh apple diced(fuji or granny smith)
• 1/2 c fresh peach diced

For Nogada Sauce

• 2 cups unsalted walnuts or you can use a combo of walnuts and pecans
• 2 cups whole milk or half and half Keep some on reserve in case the sauce is too thick after blending
• 6 ounces creamy queso fresco or requeson(soft cheese) using this instead of the traditional goat cheese
• Pinch of  ground Mexican cinnamon
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste

You will also need

• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup parsley chopped

Instructions

Directions

• Soak the walnuts in the milk while you prep the recipe. Reserve for later
• Peel the plantain and dice it fine. Place in a bowl with water until you are ready to use.
• Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil to medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the ground pork and beef. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes until browned. Add the onion, garlic and drained plantains. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomato and remaining spices. Stir well to combine and cook for 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
• Mix in the raisins, and remaining fruit. Stir well to combine. Taste for salt. Turn heat to low and continue cooking for 7 minutes, mostly covered. Remove from heat when ready.
• While the filling is cooling prepare nogada sauce. Combine all of the ingredients in the blender. Blend until smooth, taste for salt and sugar, cover and set aside. If the sauce is too thick, mix in a little more milk.
• Remove the blistered skins from poblano peppers.  Make a slit just below base of pepper about 1/2 inch from the bottom of pepper. Using your fingers, gently remove the seeds, as many as you can from the inside of peppers. Fill each pepper, gently pushing with your fingers to fill each space. Do not over fill. Transfer to a baking dish and keep warm in low temperature oven. To serve add one pepper to a plate. Ladle with walnut sauce. Garnish with pomegranates and parsley.

Notes

Traditionally raw walnuts, nuez de castilla, are soaked in milk. I am using unsalted walnuts that were previously roasted. 

To achieve a a sauce that appears more white, you would have to carefully peel the skins of the soaked walnuts. 

Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

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