**Chiles en Nogada: A Culinary Symphony of Sweet, Savory, and History**
In the heart of Mexican cuisine, there lies a dish that embodies culinary artistry and historical significance: Chiles en Nogada. This delectable creation, originating in the city of Puebla, is a symphony of flavors, colors, and textures that has captivated taste buds for generations. Picture plump poblano peppers, roasted and filled with a savory picadillo mixture of ground beef, fruits, spices, and herbs. These stuffed peppers are then delicately bathed in a creamy walnut sauce, known as nogada, and adorned with vibrant pomegranate seeds and parsley, representing the colors of the Mexican flag. With its unique blend of sweet, savory, and nutty notes, Chiles en Nogada is a true masterpiece that reflects the rich cultural heritage and culinary prowess of Mexico. Discover the secrets behind this iconic dish and embark on a culinary journey through the detailed recipes provided in this article.
CHILES EN NOGADA (CHILIES IN WALNUT SAUCE)
This chiles en nogada recipe is a special occasion Mexican dish from Puebla. Ours is made with roasted poblano chilies stuffed with a ground turkey picadillo, covered in a creamy walnut sauce, and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. It's an extraordinary blend of flavors.
Provided by Elise Bauer
Categories Dinner Chiles Pomegranate Pork Walnut
Time 10h45m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- Remove the walnut skins: Remove the papery bitter skins from the walnut pieces. (This is the hard part.) Sometimes the skins easily rub off. I have found that usually, for us, the skins don't easily peel off and we need to blanch them for 1 minute in boiling water first, to loosen the skins. If you blanch the walnuts, let them cool to the touch and carefully peel off as much of the bitter skins as you can. This is painstaking work, but unless your walnuts are shed of their bitter skins, the sauce may be a bit bitter.
- Soak the walnuts overnight: Place the skinned walnuts in a bowl, cover them with milk to soak, and chill them overnight in the refrigerator.
- Char the chiles: Place the chiles directly over the flame of a gas stove, or place under a hot broiler, to char the outside tough skin. Turn the chiles to char them on all sides. Get as much of the outside skin blackened as possible, it will be easier to remove that way.
- Remove the skins: Place the blackened chiles in a bowl, cover with a plate or damp clean towel, and let sit for 20 minutes. The burned skin will then flake off very easily and the flesh will become a little more cooked in the steam so the skin will flake/peel off easily. Discard the skin.
- Remove the seeds: Make a slit in the side of each chile and carefully remove the seeds and veins. Be careful to leave the top of the chile, the part around the base of the stem, intact. Rinse the chiles and pat them dry.
- Blend sauce ingredients: Drain the walnuts. Place the soaked and drained walnuts, the queso fresco, sour cream, sugar, and cinnamon into a blender and purée until completely smooth.
- Brown the ground turkey: Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large wide saucepan on medium high heat. Working in batches to prevent crowding the pan, brown the meat on at least one side, sprinkling the meat with a little kosher salt as it cooks. Add another tablespoon of oil if needed for the subsequent batches. Remove meat to a bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the onion and add the seasonings: Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and heat on medium. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, and garlic and cook another minute.
- Add the butter, return the turkey, and add tomatoes, raisins, almonds, and apples: Melt butter in the pan and return the ground meat to the pan, using use wooden spoon to break up any clumps. Add the crushed tomatoes, golden raisins, and chopped slivered almonds. If the mixture seems a little dry, add a tablespoon or two of water. Add chopped apple to the picadillo mixture. Adjust spices, add more cinnamon, salt, ground cloves to taste (go easy on the cloves, they can overpower).
- Stuff the chiles: Stuff the chiles with the picadillo until they are well filled out. Place them on individual plates or on a serving platter.
- To serve, cover the stuffed chiles with the walnut sauce and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh parsley or cilantro.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 669 kcal, Carbohydrate 33 g, Cholesterol 159 mg, Fiber 4 g, Protein 33 g, SaturatedFat 16 g, Sodium 396 mg, Sugar 24 g, Fat 47 g, ServingSize Serves 6., UnsaturatedFat 0 g
STUFFED POBLANO CHILES WITH WALNUT SAUCE AND POMEGRANATE SEEDS
Steps:
- Cook pork:
- Put pork in a 3-quart heavy saucepan with salt, onion slice, garlic, thyme, and enough cold water to cover by 1/2 inch and bring to a boil, skimming foam. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until pork is very tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool pork in liquid, uncovered, 15 minutes. Drain, then cut pork into 1/3-inch dice. Discard onion, garlic, and thyme.
- Make filling:
- Cook onion and garlic in oils in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down and sauce is slightly thickened, 20 to 30 minutes.
- While tomatoes simmer, cut an X in bottom of peach, then immerse in boiling water until skin begins to loosen, 10 to 30 seconds. Transfer peach to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking, then peel, pit, and dice (1/3 inch).
- Discard bay leaves, thyme sprig, and cinnamon stick from tomato mixture, then add diced pork and remaining filling ingredients and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until fruit is softened but still intact, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with additional salt, sugar, and vinegar.
- Make sauce:
- Purée walnuts and almonds in a blender with milk, cheese, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth and silky, about 2 minutes. (Sauce should thickly coat back of a large spoon. If sauce is too thin, add more almonds and puré. If too thick, add more milk.) Season with salt and sugar.
- Stuff and bake chiles:
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile and carefully cut out seeds with kitchen shears, leaving stem intact. (For milder heat, carefully cut out ribs also.)
- Divide pork filling among chiles, then close, overlapping sides of openings slightly. Transfer, seam sides up, to a 13- by 9-inch shallow baking dish, then cover with foil and bake until just heated through, 15 to 25 minutes.
- Transfer chiles to plates, carefully turning them seam sides down. Pour about 1/3 cup walnut sauce over each chile, leaving some of chile visible, then sprinkle chiles with pomegranate seeds. Serve chiles warm or at room temperature.
CHILES EN NOGADA (STUFFED POBLANO CHILE PEPPERS)
A savory/sweet stuffing of chicken, raisins, walnuts, sugar and spices fills these chile peppers with flavor. Topped with a creamy goat cheese sauce and garnished with fresh chopped cilantro, this dish is a treat for both eyes and palette. Muy sabroso (very flavorful)!
Provided by Lucy Loo
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 1h30m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- Place chicken in a large pot with the halved onion, two carrots, one stalk celery, and 1 clove garlic, and cover with water. Boil until done. Slice meat into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion and garlic until soft, then add chicken, raisins, brown sugar, 4 ounces walnuts, pepper and bay leaves. Mix together and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, then stir in vinegar, cilantro and tomato paste; reduce heat to low and let all simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Cut a slit in each chile pepper along one side, lengthwise, so that they can be reconstructed after they are stuffed. Stuff each chile pepper with cooled chicken mixture and place in preheated oven to keep warm.
- To Make Sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream cheese, goat cheese, sour cream, 8 ounces walnuts, nutmeg and granulated sugar. Heat, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes. When blended together, pour sauce over warm chile peppers and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 942.3 calories, Carbohydrate 30.3 g, Cholesterol 152.9 mg, Fat 81 g, Fiber 4.8 g, Protein 28.7 g, SaturatedFat 31.4 g, Sodium 375.2 mg, Sugar 18.7 g
Tips:
- Choose large, firm poblano peppers for even cooking and presentation.
- Roast and peel the poblano peppers over an open flame or in the oven for an authentic smoky flavor.
- Remove the veins and seeds from the roasted poblano peppers to reduce bitterness and make them easier to stuff.
- Use a variety of minced meats, such as beef, pork, and chorizo, for a flavorful and textured filling.
- Season the filling generously with Mexican spices, such as cumin, oregano, and chili powder, for a bold and authentic taste.
- Stuff the roasted poblano peppers with the prepared filling, taking care not to overfill them.
- Make the walnut sauce by blending walnuts, cream, milk, and spices until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the walnut sauce over the stuffed poblano peppers and garnish with pomegranate seeds, parsley, and cilantro for a vibrant presentation.
- Serve the chiles en nogada immediately or chill them for later.
Conclusion:
Chiles en nogada is a visually stunning and delicious Mexican dish that combines sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. With its intricate preparation and stunning presentation, this traditional dish is a centerpiece of Mexican cuisine. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a unique and flavorful meal, chiles en nogada is sure to impress.
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