Description
Legendary Mexican dish chiles en nogada celebrates patriotic colors with roasted poblano peppers stuffed with tender meat and fruits, then draped in creamy walnut sauce. Culinary artistry from Puebla brings together sweet, savory, and rich flavors that connect you to Mexico’s rich cultural heritage.
Ingredients
Scale
Chiles en Nogada
Main Ingredients:
- 6 large poblano peppers
- 1 lb ground pork or beef
Picadillo (Stuffing) Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) vegetable oil
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped or pureed
- ½ apple, peeled and diced
- ½ pear, peeled and diced
- ¼ cup (37 grams) raisins
- ¼ cup (37 grams) chopped dried apricots (optional)
- ¼ cup (30 grams) slivered almonds
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cloves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Nogada (Walnut Sauce) and Garnish Ingredients:
- 1 cup (120 grams) walnuts (soaked in warm water or milk for 1 hour, skins removed)
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) Mexican crema or sour cream
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) milk
- ¼ cup (60 grams) fresh cheese (like queso fresco or ricotta)
- 12 tablespoons (180 grams) sugar, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) cinnamon (optional)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Carefully roast poblano peppers over an open flame or under a broiler until their skins are completely charred and blistered. Transfer to a covered bowl and allow to steam for 10 minutes, which will help loosen the skin for easy peeling.
- Gently remove the pepper skins, then delicately slice open each pepper and extract the seeds while maintaining the pepper’s structural integrity.
- In a large skillet, sauté finely chopped onions and minced garlic until they become translucent and fragrant. Add ground meat and cook thoroughly until it browns evenly.
- Incorporate diced tomatoes, apples, pears, raisins, and almonds into the meat mixture. Introduce traditional spices to enhance the flavor profile and simmer until the fruits soften and the mixture thickens.
- Create the creamy walnut sauce by blending soaked walnuts with crema, milk, cheese, sugar, and a hint of cinnamon until the mixture reaches a smooth, luxurious consistency.
- Carefully stuff each prepared poblano pepper with the richly spiced picadillo filling, ensuring a generous and even distribution.
- Lavishly drape the peppers with the velvety walnut sauce, creating an elegant presentation.
- Garnish the stuffed chiles with vibrant pomegranate seeds and freshly chopped parsley, adding both color and a burst of fresh flavor.
Notes
- Roasting poblanos carefully ensures perfect char without burning, creating a smoky flavor that enhances the pepper’s natural taste.
- Remove seeds gently to maintain pepper’s structural integrity, preventing tears or breakage during stuffing process.
- Consider using ground turkey or plant-based protein for a lighter, healthier alternative to traditional ground meat.
- Balance picadillo’s sweetness by adjusting fruit quantities, ensuring a harmonious blend of savory and fruity notes.
- Soak walnuts overnight for creamier, smoother nogada sauce with deeper, richer flavor profile.
- Adjust walnut sauce consistency by adding more milk or crema if too thick, maintaining silky texture.
- Use fresh, in-season pomegranate seeds for vibrant color and burst of tangy freshness when garnishing.
- Prepare components ahead of time to streamline cooking process and reduce day-of kitchen stress.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg