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Stuffed Chile Peppers - Traditional Chile en Nogada Recipe
This flavorful stuffed chile peppers recipe is a typical Mexican dish. It is always made with poblano chilies and the meat and fruit filling is really good. The creamy walnut sauce is poured over the top of the stuffed chile peppers, and then the pomegranate seeds are sprinkled over. You need to use poblano chilies for this dish because they are traditional. If poblano chilies are too fiery for you, soak them in a mild vinegar and water mixture for half an hour, after you have peeled them. This will reduce their piquancy.
The main reason why this stuffed chile peppers recipe is so traditional is that it is made with the Mexican flag colors - red, green and white - and also because pomegranates are only available in August and September, around the time of Mexican Independence Day.
You can serve chile en nogada at room temperature or you can warm the stuffed chilies in the oven in a baking dish, then pour over the cream and sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top.
How to Make Authentic Chile en Nogada
Ingredients -
12 poblano chilies
2 cups water
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 thinly sliced white onion
1 finely chopped clove garlic
1 red pomegranate
½ cup cider vinegar
2 cups water
1 teaspoons dried mixed herb (maybe thyme, oregano, and marjoram)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Stuffing:
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground beef
2 tablespoons chopped, blanched almonds
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
¼ cup raisins
½ cup mixed dried fruit
2 tablespoons pimento-stuffed green olives
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 ½ oz walnuts
1 crushed clove garlic
3 peeled, chopped tomatoes
1 chopped onion
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons sweet sherry
3 ½ oz walnuts
2 pints heavy cream
3 ½ oz cream cheese
Preparation:
Blister the poblano chilies under the broiler or directly over a high flame, turning them occasionally.
Put the blistered, burnt chilies in a plastic bag and leave them for 20 minutes.
Flake off the burnt skin. Cut down the side of each poblano chili and take out the veins and seeds.
Leave the top intact because you are going to be stuffing them.
Rinse and dry them.
Fry the onions in the oil in a pan until tender, and then stir in the herbs and garlic.
Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the chilies and simmer the mixture for 1 minute more.
Add the vinegar and water and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Set the mixture aside so the chilies can marinate in it for 2 hours.
Mix the garlic and tomatoes in a blender to make the filling, and then set it aside.
Sauté the pork and beef in the oil until brown, then stir in the onions and cook for a couple more minutes.
Add the olives, nuts and fruit, then season to taste.
Stir in the garlic mixture and tomato and simmer for 10 minutes over a low heat or until the stuffing is quite dry.
Add all the walnut cream ingredients to a food processor and blend.
Stuff the chilies with the filling, and then pour the nut cream over the top.
Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over and serve.
(Serves10)
Photo Description:
You can see from the photo how the red, green, and white ingredients make up the colors of the Mexican flag, which is why this is a typical Mexican recipe to serve at Mexican Independence Day celebrations. The stuffed chilies contain pork and beef, as well as delicious nuts and fruit, the sauce is rich and creamy and the pomegranate seeds finish these stuffed chile peppers off perfectly. If you are having a Mexican themed party, this is a nice recipe to try. It is traditionally Mexican and, although the dish takes a bit of effort to make, it is well worth it.
