Authentic Mexican Chiles en Nogada Recipe

Chiles en nogada are one of the most traditional dishes in the mexican cuisine, and it’s cosidered by many a festive dish typically served in the month of September to celebrate México Idependence Day.

There are many popular theories about the origins of this delicious dish, but the most popular one is the one that says it was invented by nuns in Puebla in the 18th century. This dish is also known as one of the most patriotic dishes because of the colors that stand out are green, white and red, the colors of the Mexican flag.

Keep reading and learn how to make this delicious chiles en nogada recipe.

Ingredients

10 Poblano Peppers Roasted, with skin and seeds removed.

For the Filling

• 1/4 lb ground beef
• 1/4 lb ground pork
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 white onion diced
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 black peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp dry thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 large apple diced
• 1/2 pear diced
• 1 peach diced
• 1/2 ripe plantain diced
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tsp olive oil

For the Salsa de Nogada

• 2 cups walnuts or almonds
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 oz goat cheese or cream cheese
• 1 tbsp sugar
• salt to taste

Decoration

• Chopped Parsley
• Pomegranate seeds

Instructions

• Start by putting the almonds or walnuts in hot water for about 20 minutes. This is so that it is easier to remove the skins, resultinf in a white salsa.
• Once you hace removed the skins, put the almonds or walnuts in cool water for 15 minutes.
• Add the almonds or walnuts to rest of the salsa ingridientes, and blend until smooth. Set aside.

For the Salsa de Nogada

For the Filling

• Start by sauteeing half of the onion, the peppercorns, and the garlic in a frying pan with the olive oil for a couple of minutes. 
• Next, add the above to a blender with the tomato sauce, the thyme, and the cloves and blend until smooth. 
• In the same pan where you sauteed the onions and garlic, add the rest of the onion, the ground meat, and the salt and cook until the meat is cooked through. 
• Add the fruits and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Add the cinnamon and sugar, stir, and cook for 3 more minutes over medium-low heat. 
• Add the tomato sauce mixture from above and let simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Remember that the meat shouldn’t be dry, but it shouldn’t have too much liquid either, because that will make it harder to fill the poblano peppers later. 

To Make the Chiles

Once the meat and salsa are ready, add some of the filling to each cleaned and prepared poblano pepper. In order to do this, cut an opening right down the middle. You can also use toothpicks to close it back up if you desire. 

Decoration

Smother in the salsa, and top with parsley and pomegranate seeds.