Viva Mexico! - Chiles en Nogada

Life is about eating the seasons. Sometimes you have to take advantage of a specialty, otherwise it will be gone until next year. Think mango season, think Noche de Muertos bread or think Mexico’s Independence Day specialty ‘Chiles en nogada’ or poblano peppers in walnut sauce. Every September you can find them in restaurants or instead you can make it yourself.
What are ‘Chiles en nogada’ and why are they only available around September 15th? And what’s the deal with the walnut sauce; that doesn’t sound very Mexican at all.
‘Chiles en nogada’ are stuffed poblano peppers with a minced meat filling and walnut cream sauce. It is topped with pomegranate seeds and parsley. The history of this dish is linked to Mexico’s struggle for independence. This started on September 15th 1810 with the ‘Cry for Independence’ (‘El Grito’) by the priest Miguel Hidalgo and it ended in 1821 when General Agustin de Iturbide was proclaimed the first president of Mexico. The story goes that General Iturbide triumphantly visited the city of Puebla. To honor his presence the nuns of the Santa Monica monastery, created this dish resembling the colors of the Mexican flag. They used what they had at hand: walnuts and pomegranates. Until this day it’s the most traditional dish you can eat on September 15th.
You might think this is an impossibly difficult dish to create yourself (I thought so!). But using the traditional Sinaloa cookbook ‘Mis recetas de cocina’ by Doña Cuca Cardenas made me realize it really isn’t. Now before we dive into the details, you should know one thing.  When you talk about traditional Mexican cuisine there is no such thing as the ‘original’ recipe. There are many (many!!!) variations on the theme, with every region, city or family having their unique ingredients. So my point is: feel free to be creative. If you can’t find a certain ingredient, substitute it with a similar option.

CHILES EN NOGADA
12 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and seeds removed
1 tbsp. vegetable oil 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1/3 cup onion, finely diced 
¼ kg/ ½ lb ground pork 
¼ kg / ½ lb ground beef 
1 cup diced tomato 
1 tsp sugar 
1 apple, peeled and diced 
1 pear, peeled and diced 
¼ cup raisins 
¼ cup dried fruit, diced (peach/apricot) 
1 cup almonds, peeled and diced 
Salt and pepper to taste
 
 
PREPARATION:
Place the poblano peppers under a broiler or directly on a gas heater. Char the peppers until black, then place them in a container with lid or a plastic bag. Leave for about 15 minutes, remove the skins under running water. Make an incision on one side of the pepper and remove the seeds. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion and the garlic, then add the ground pork and beef. Add a pinch of salt and sauté until browned. Then incorporate the tomato and sugar and mix well. You might have to add some water. Leave to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Now add the apple and the pear and simmer for another 5 minutes. Finally add the raisins, candied fruit and chopped almonds and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Fill the poblano peppers with the meat and place them on a serving dish. Cover with the walnut sauce (recipe below).
 
WALNUT SAUCE
200g / 7 oz. walnuts, peeled 
3 tbsp. sugar 
150g / 5 oz. goat cheese, cream cheese or feta 
½ - 1 cup milk or sour cream 
4 tbsp. parsley, finely diced 
1 ½ cup  pomegranate seeds  

PREPARATION:
Soak the walnuts in boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove the water and peel off the skins. Place the walnuts in a bowl and cover them with milk. Leave to rest in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
Discard the milk and place the walnuts in a blender or food processor. Add the goat cheese, sugar, a pinch of salt and enough milk to get a smooth consistency. Cover the stuffed poblano pepper with the walnut sauce and dress with pomegranate seeds and parsley. ‘Chiles en nogada’ are served room temperature or cold.