Chiles en Nogada
This dish originates from Puebla and is served to celebrate Mexican independence, but if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I love Christmas cheer.
This dish is festive, beautiful, and really nails the Christmas color palette. After serving this to people you love very much, take some time for you, and watch a movie about a disillusioned, career-oriented, woman finally discovering the true meaning of the holidays.
Ingredients
6 poblano peppers
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
1 tablespoon butter
FILLING
1 pound ground pork
1 white or yellow onion, diced
1 small pear, peeled and diced
1 small apple, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon oregano
¼ cup reposado tequila
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup almonds, chopped
2 cups canned fire roasted tomatoes, pureed
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
SAUCE
2 cups walnuts
¾ cup crema acida
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Water to thin
Char poblanos on grill or open flame of a gas stove. Transfer to a container, cover in plastic wrap, and allow to steam. When cool enough to handle, peel off skin. Cut a slit in the pepper lengthwise and carefully remove seeds. Avoid removing ribs so as not to tear the flesh of the pepper.
For the filling, start by browning the pork. Season with salt and break apart as it cooks. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add butter, onion, garlic, pear, and apple. Saute until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add cinnamon, clove, and oregano and saute about 1 minute longer. Deglaze with tequila and cook about 2 minutes longer. Add tomatoes, golden raisins, and almonds. Bring to a simmer. Add back pork and about a cup of water. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Finish with lemon juice, lemon zest and salt to taste.
For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Thin slightly with warm water. Sauce should be thick enough to sit on top of filling, but thin enough to slowly cascade down the sides of that pretty little chile relleno. Think hot fudge.
Fill pepper, sauce generously, and garnish with pomegranate seeds.