Mexico: Chilies en Nogada
COOK
Lizet Martinez
Country
Mexico
YIELDS
6 Servings
TOTAL TIME
60 mins
Ingredients
6 large Poblana chilies
1 pomegranate
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
Walnut Sauce (Nogada)
250 g (1 and 1/2 cups) walnuts or pecans
210 g (1 cup) cream cheese Philadephia
360 ml (1 can) Evaporated Milk - Carnation
170 ml (1 can) thick Sour Cream - Carnation
25 g (5 tsp) sugar
salt
black pepper powder to taste
Chilli Stuffing
150 ml (10 tbsp) olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
500 g (2 and 1/4 cups) ground beef
500 g (2 and 1/4 cups) group pork
1/2 apple peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 pear peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 apricot peeled and finely chopped
1/2 banana peeled and finely chopped
50 g (1/3 cup) raisins finely chopped
50 g almonds peeled and finely chopped
salt to taste
black pepper powder to taste
1 pinch clove powder
Chilies
Place the chilies directly over the flame to char the outside tough skin. Turn the chilies to char them on all sides. Get as much of the outside skin blackened as possible, it will be easier to remove that way.
Place the blackened chilies in a bowl and cover with a plate or damp towel and let sit for 20 minutes. The burned skin will then flake off very easily.
Make a slit in the side of each chili and carefully remove the seeds and veins. Be careful to leave the top of the chili, the part around the base of the stem, intact.
Tip: If you taste the chilies and they are too spicy, soak them in a mild vinegar and water solution for about 30 minutes. Rinse the chilies and pat them dry.
Stuffing
In a large saucepan, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic.
Add all the ground meat and stir.
Add all fruits and nuts and stir.
Season with salt, pepper, and clove powder. Cook until the meat are tender.
Walnut Sauce
Place all ingredients into a blender until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the chilies en nogada
Stuff with chilies with the meat until they are well filled out.
To serve, cover the stuffed chilies with the walnut sauce and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh parsley or cilantro.