I just bought my first pomegranates of the year so it’s time to trot out my fabulous recipe for chiles en nogada, which I will be serving for my dinner tonight.
There is no doubt that chiles en nogada are one of the crowning glories of Mexican cuisine. They are traditionally served during August and September when the walnuts are newly picked and pomegranates are in season in Mexico. Because of the green chile, white walnut sauce and the red pomegranates, the colors of the Mexican flag, they are the quintessential dish for Mexican Independence Day menus.
Many years ago, I contacted the Walnut Board in California and suggested that they, too, hold a country-wide contest for the best chiles en nogada. After going back and forth for weeks, they responded that walnuts could only be shipped across state lines once they had dried sufficiently so as to not become moldy and, secondly, that they could only feature recipes that had a ridiculously low amount of fat. So they missed out on a great opportunity. After all, how many walnut-specific savory recipes are there that lend themselves to something like this?
Chiles in Walnut Sauce (Chiles en nogada)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons dark or golden raisins
- ½ cup dry sherry
- 2 medium ripe tomatoes about 2 pounds
- 6 large poblano chiles
- Vegetable oil for frying
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegetable oil
- 1 medium white onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small green or other cooking apple peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
- 2 ripe, firm peaches, peeled or ½ cup dried, diced
- 1 small ripe plantain skin removed, diced
- 3 tablespoons diced preserved citron If you live in New York, you can buy it at Kalustyans; if you don't, you can order it from them
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1⅓ teaspoons ground cloves
- 2 cups shredded cooked pork butt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground
canela - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 recipe Nogada (Walnut) Sauce see below
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 50 Italian parsley leaves
For the Nogada (Walnut) Sauce
- 1 cup walnuts
- ½ cup milk or water or to cover walnuts, plus extra to soak French roll in
- 1 small French roll soaked in milk until softened and squeezed dry
- ½ pound queso fresco or cream cheese
- ½ cup cream or milk
- ⅓ cup dry sherry
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground
canela - 1 tablespoon sugar or to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500°F.
- Pour sherry into a small bowl and add the raisins. Set aside to soften while you prepare the chiles.
- Heat heavy cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Roast the tomatoes, turning several times, until blistered on all sides. Let cool until just cool enough to handle. Peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds and chop finely. Set aside.
- Wash the poblano chiles and thoroughly dry them. Make a small (1- to 1½-inch long) lengthwise slit in each chile. Pour oil into large heavy skillet to a depth of about ½ inch and heat over high heat until very hot but not quite smoking. Fry the chiles, 3 at a time, turning once or twice, until they puff up and take on an olive-beige color. Remove from pan as they are done. Let cool and carefully peel them using a paper towel to rub the flesh off. DO NOT RINSE UNDER COLD WATER. Very gently pull out seeds through the slit in each chile, being sure not to tear the flesh. Set aside.
- In large skillet, melt the butter or vegetable oil over medium heat until very hot and fragrant. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Add fresh and dried fruit, including the softened raisins, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the spices and pork and cook, stirring to combine, for 2 minutes more. Season with the canela, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Carefully fill the mixture into the chiles through the slit in each. Bake on greased baking sheet or shallow pan for 5 minutes.
- Cover the chiles with the Nogada Sauce and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and a few leaves of Italian parsley. Chiles may be served warm or at room temperature.
For the Nogada (Walnut) Sauce
- Soak the walnuts covered in cold milk or water for three hours or overnight. Discard the soaking liquid. Grind the walnuts in a food processor or blender with the French roll, cheese, cream or milk, sherry, canela, sugar, and salt until smooth.
