Served to me at a friend's ranch: a Chile en Nogada and Mexican red rice, made by Rosalinda Corona--a fabulous cook!Chiles en Nogada
by Victoria Challancin
by Victoria Challancin
Often considered the national dish of Mexico, chiles en nogada is a dish fit for the gods. Representing the three colors of the Mexican flag (red, white, and green), this dish shines in the month of September in Mexico, when pomegranates are in season and poblano chiles are at their best. It is traditionally served on Independence Day.
This recipe comes from the Mexican chef of The Buena Mesa Restaurant, a wonderful eatery in San Miguel de Allende, famous for its chiles en nogada, that is no longer open. I featured the recipe in a bi-lingual cookbook, Flavors of San Miguel, that I wrote a few years ago on the restaurants of San Miguel.
This recipe comes from the Mexican chef of The Buena Mesa Restaurant, a wonderful eatery in San Miguel de Allende, famous for its chiles en nogada, that is no longer open. I featured the recipe in a bi-lingual cookbook, Flavors of San Miguel, that I wrote a few years ago on the restaurants of San Miguel.
Chiles en Nogada
(Meat-Stuffed Chiles in Walnut-Cream Sauce)
(Meat-Stuffed Chiles in Walnut-Cream Sauce)
For the Chiles and Filling:
16 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, deveined, and seeded
30 raisins
20 almonds
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 banana, peeled and diced
3 apples or pears
3 peaches (if in season)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound lean ground pork
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3 tablespoons candied cactus (biznaga), chopped (optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sauce:
50 fresh, whole shelled walnuts (soaked overnight in water)
1 small ranch cheese (approximately 3 1/2 ounces)
1/2 bolillo or bread roll soaked in milk
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pinch ground cinnamon
Seeds of one fresh pomegranate for garnish
To prepare the meat filling:
Soak raisins in warm water to plump. Blanch almonds in boiling water for several minutes, remove skins, and chop. Peel apples and peaches, dice, and put in slightly salty water unless using immediately.
In a heavy frying pan heat 3 tablespoons of oil' fry meat until it is cooked through. Remove from pan and save. In the same pan, using the fat from the pork, sauté onion and garlic until transparent. Add tomatoes and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add pork, drained apples and peaches, the banana, the drained raisins, almonds, pine nuts, candied cactus and chicken broth. Add coriander seeds, salt, and pepper to taste. Allow to cook over low heat until the broth has evaporated. Remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly, then stuff each chile with the meat filling.
To make the sauce:
Drain soaked walnuts and place in blender. Add ranch cheese, milk-soaked roll, cream, sugar, sugar, and ground cinnamon. Purée.
To serve:
Bathe chiles with sauce and scatter pomegranate seeds over the top.
30 raisins
20 almonds
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 banana, peeled and diced
3 apples or pears
3 peaches (if in season)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound lean ground pork
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3 tablespoons candied cactus (biznaga), chopped (optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sauce:
50 fresh, whole shelled walnuts (soaked overnight in water)
1 small ranch cheese (approximately 3 1/2 ounces)
1/2 bolillo or bread roll soaked in milk
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pinch ground cinnamon
Seeds of one fresh pomegranate for garnish
To prepare the meat filling:
Soak raisins in warm water to plump. Blanch almonds in boiling water for several minutes, remove skins, and chop. Peel apples and peaches, dice, and put in slightly salty water unless using immediately.
In a heavy frying pan heat 3 tablespoons of oil' fry meat until it is cooked through. Remove from pan and save. In the same pan, using the fat from the pork, sauté onion and garlic until transparent. Add tomatoes and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add pork, drained apples and peaches, the banana, the drained raisins, almonds, pine nuts, candied cactus and chicken broth. Add coriander seeds, salt, and pepper to taste. Allow to cook over low heat until the broth has evaporated. Remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly, then stuff each chile with the meat filling.
To make the sauce:
Drain soaked walnuts and place in blender. Add ranch cheese, milk-soaked roll, cream, sugar, sugar, and ground cinnamon. Purée.
To serve:
Bathe chiles with sauce and scatter pomegranate seeds over the top.
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