Chile en Nogada

One of the most important dishes in Mexican cuisine, Chile en Nogada is traditionally made in late summer/early fall when all the fruits are in season. This is also the season of Mexican Independence Day (September 15th), and the green poblano pepper, white walnut sauce, and red pomegranate seeds represent the 3 colors of the Mexican flag. This dish is incredibly special with unique and delicious flavors and textures. The effort is absolutely worth it!

Serves 8-12, depending on how many peppers each person wants.

Time: about 5 hours (we promise it's worth it!)

Ingredients

For the stuffed pepper:

-3/4 kilo of ground pork or beef

-12 poblano peppers

-1 plantain, quartered lengthwise in long strips

-3 carrots, finely diced

-2 small red potatoes, finely diced

-60kg of whole raw almonds (or peeled, sliced or diced almonds)

-10 small peaches, finely diced

-1 small onion, finely diced

-1 clove of garlic, diced and another clove, whole

-8 apples, diced

-2 roma tomatoes

-1/4 cup of raisins

-1 cube of chicken bullion

-oil for frying

-salt, to taste

For the enogada (walnut sauce):

-125 grams of walnuts, chopped

-400ml crema

-1 box of Philadelphia cream cheese (8oz)

-.5 tsp cinnamon

-1/3 cup of sugar

-.75L whole milk (3 cups)

-2 pomegranates, seeded (or 1/2 kilo of just seeds)

Directions:

1) If using raw almonds, put them in a small pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes, until the skin on the almond easily peels off when you squeeze it between two fingers. When all the almonds are peeled, finely dice them. If using pre-peeled and sliced or diced almonds, skip this step.

2) On a comal or in a shallow pan, deeply blacken the poblanos on all sides. They're properly charred when each side is deep black and starts to crackle. You may have to work in batches. Put the blackened peppers in a closed plastic or paper bag while you're making everything else to keep the humidity of the hot peppers so you can peel them later.

3) In a blender or food processor, blend the roma tomatoes with the whole clove of garlic, a small chunk of onion, and a little water (about 1/4 cup).

4) Add a thin layer of oil to a deep, wide pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and diced garlic and cook until translucent.

5) Add the ground meat into the pan and add 1tsp of salt. Stir/mix continually so that the meat doesn't burn and it cooks evenly.

6) When the meat is no longer raw (5-10 mins), add the diced potatoes and carrots. Mix and continue cooking, another 5-10 minutes.

7) Add the diced peeled almonds and continue cooking, another 5-10 minutes.

8) Add the diced apples and continue cooking, another 5 minutes.

9) Add the diced peaches and another tbs of salt and continue cooking another 5 minutes.

10) Add the tomato blend, raisins, and chicken bullion and continue cooking, another 5 minutes.

11) In a separate pan, heat a half inch of oil over medium heat. Add the strips of plantain and fry until golden brown on each side. When plantains are fried, finely dice and add to the ground meat mixture. Mix everything together and taste for salt.

12) The stuffing is complete! Take off the heat and cover.

13) In a blender or food processor and working in batches if needed, blend together the waluts, milk, cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and crema. Taste to see if it might need more/less sugar, cinnamon, walnuts, etc. Pour the sauce in bowl.

14) Remove the charred poblanos from the bag and peel the blackened skin off to reveal the soft green skin beneath. Using a knife, cut a line in the pepper from the stem to the tip. Gently turn the poblano inside out and remove the inner core and all of the seeds. When all seeds are removed from the pepper, gently turn it back rightside out.

15) When all of the peppers are peeled and cored, it's time to stuff and plate!

16) Place one pepper in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Stuff the poblano with the meat/nut mixture. You can use your hands to make sure the meat is stuffed into all pockets of the pepper. When the poblano is stuffed, generously ladle the walnut sauce on top and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds!

Serve and enjoy with bolillo (crusty bread) on the side!