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Chiles en Nogada

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