Chiles en Nogada
Chiles en Nogada
Mexico's most patriotic dish — roasted poblano chiles stuffed with a sweet-savory picadillo of ground meat, fruits, and spices, draped in a creamy walnut sauce, and crowned with jewel-like pomegranate seeds. The colors represent the Mexican flag: green, white, and red.
Ingredients
- 6 large pieces poblano chiles🌶️ Chile info
- 1 lb ground pork
- 0.5 lb ground beef
- 1 piece white onion, diced
- 3 pieces garlic cloves
- 2 pieces Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 piece ripe plantain, diced
- 1 piece apple, peeled and diced
- 1 piece pear, peeled and diced
- 0.25 cup raisins
- 3 tbsp pine nuts
- 0.5 tsp cinnamon
- 0.25 tsp cloves (ground)
- 1.5 cups walnuts
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 0.5 cup milk
- 0.5 cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley
Instructions
- 1
Roast poblano chiles directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning frequently, until skin is completely blackened. Place in a plastic bag for 10 minutes to steam, then peel off the skin.
- 2
Carefully make a lengthwise slit in each chile and remove seeds and veins, keeping the chile intact. Set aside.
- 3
For the picadillo: sauté onion and garlic in oil until softened. Add ground pork and beef, cooking until browned. Add tomatoes, plantain, apple, pear, raisins, pine nuts, cinnamon, and cloves. Cook for 15 minutes until fruits are soft and flavors meld. Season with salt.
- 4
Stuff each roasted poblano generously with the picadillo mixture.
- 5
For the nogada (walnut sauce): blend walnuts, cream cheese, milk, and a pinch of salt until very smooth and creamy. It should be pourable but not thin.
- 6
Place stuffed chiles on a platter, drape generously with the nogada walnut sauce, and scatter pomegranate seeds and parsley over the top.
Chef's Tips
This dish is traditionally served at room temperature during August and September when pomegranates and fresh walnuts are in season. If you can find fresh (not dried) walnuts, the sauce will be noticeably more delicate.
