Chiles en Nogada: A Traditional Mexican Dish with Sweet & Savory Flavors
Chiles en Nogada is a classic Mexican dish featuring roasted poblano peppers stuffed with a flavorful mix of ground beef, pork, and sweet fruits, topped with a creamy walnut sauce, and garnished with pomegranate seeds and parsley. This dish is not only delicious but also visually stunning, representing the colors of the Mexican flag.
Ingredients
For the Nogada Sauce:
- 2 cups walnuts peeled and skinned
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 3 oz queso fresco
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup Mexican crema
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp sugar
For the Filling:
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- 3 tbsp dried pineapple chunks
- ½ Bosc pear diced
- ½ Granny Smith apple diced
- ½ peach diced
- ¼ plantain diced
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
For the Peppers:
- 6 large poblano peppers
- Pomegranate seeds for garnish
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Nogada Sauce: The sauce is the heart of this dish, so let’s start here. Boil the walnuts for 5 minutes to loosen the skins, then peel them. (Yes, it’s a bit tedious, but trust me, it’s worth it!) Blend the peeled walnuts with goat cheese, queso fresco, milk, Mexican crema, cinnamon, and sugar until smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the Filling: This filling is a flavor explosion. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent.
- Add ground beef and pork, cooking until browned. Stir in tomato sauce, raisins, dried pineapple, salt, pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add the diced fruits and almonds, cooking until everything is tender and fragrant.
- Roast and Stuff the Peppers: Roast the poblano peppers under a broiler or over an open flame until the skins blister. Peel off the charred skin, make a slit, and remove the seeds. Stuff each pepper generously with the filling.
- Assemble and Serve: Drizzle the creamy nogada sauce over the stuffed peppers. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and parsley for that final pop of color and flavor.
Notes
- Removing the skin from the walnuts is time-consuming but essential to avoid bitterness in the sauce.
- This recipe fills 6 large or 8 medium poblano peppers.
- Store the peppers and sauce separately in the fridge for up to 5 days.