Chiles in walnut sauce is by far one of the most renowned dishes of Mexican cuisine, particularly in the state of Puebla.  It has been called the ¨ poblano dish par excellence ¨. Internationally it is one of the finest and most representative dishes of Mexican cuisine.

What does this Mexican dish entail: this dish essentially entails, a poblano chile, which by this name is known throughout Mexico?  This variety of chile is also known as the Capbsicum annuum in its fresh or natural state. In other regions of Mexico it is also known as ancho chile. The poblano chile is stuffed with a stew of beef and pork, also mixed with fruit (banana, apple, pear, peach, etc. that are in season in Puebla) among other ingredients. The chile is caped with whipped or beaten egg whites, then gently fry.  Using a variety of ingredients, a white sauce of walnuts is made by finely chopping the nuts and liquefied with sweet muscatel, cream cheese together forming the nougat sauce. The Poblano chile, caped and stuffed is bathed with this white walnut sauce it is then covered with a touch of the pomegranate fruit and parsley. This is a very patriotic dish, because it exemplifies the three colors of the Mexican flag: green the chile and the parsley, white with the walnut sauce and red with the pomegranate.

The Season

Since the nineteenth century, many families gather in Puebla during the months of July and August to enjoy this Baroque delicacy. The chiles in walnut sauce have been a tradition for the past 190 years.  The season of this gourmet dish begins in and around the 15th of July and lasts for 85 days until September 30th. For this reason fifteen outstanding restaurant begin the season with a presentation of great tasting food and with a genuine urge to test the Chiles en Nogada, each with their particular interpretation of the original recipe.

Legend or history

The appearance of the renowned chiles in walnut sauce coincides with the time of our national independence and assertion of sovereignty. That is why the chile is represented with the three colors displayed in our flag.  In 1821, with the consummation of independence, the patriotic spirit of all Mexicans and historical facts prove independence was definitive for our country.  The year of the three Guarantees in Mexico as for the first time in the month of September, the people felt the three colors of our flag, which in this year 1821 had been created.

The central character, but not the most important of these events was Don Agustin de Iturbide, author of the Plan de Iguala and creator of the Treaty of Cordoba, next to the last Viceroy, Don Juan de O’Donoju the main signatory of our letter of Independence. For these and other reasons they were famous.

On his return from the town of Cordoba, where Don Agustin signed the Treaty of Cordoba, he decided to visit Puebla. The people were devoted to him for having achieved the surrender of Puebla de los Angeles. Perhaps for this reason, it was decide to celebrate their saint in this beautiful city.  He was greeted by supporters with a splendid banquet, August 28, 1821, Saint Augustine. The place had great splendor the three colors of the nascent national flag, green for Independence, White for Religion and red for Union. This and other se1ect variety of dishes from Puebla were made and served by the Nuns of the contemplative Augustinian convent of Santa Monica. The nuns of Puebla were in the spirit and had the patriotic fervor that reigned in those days.  They decided to prepare a dish that had the three colors of the flag, and therefore created the poblano chiles in walnut sauce, chiles en nogda.  It arose from the purest spirit of patriotism and nationalism.

They used the ingredients that were available and in season, they took the tender walnuts for the sauce and the pomegranate seeds to cover the chile, producing the red white and green flag with of course a sprig of parsley decorating the chile. It should be noted that only the best was selected of each area of Puebla, to delight the Mexico’s liberator, which later became emperor. This dish of chile in walnut sauce is a real fusion of sweet and salty by using more than 35 ingredients for your palate.

Include this recipe in your book, the recipe for Chile in walnut sauce.

Preparation time: 2 hours
Servings: 15

Ingredients

30 medium poblano chiles, toasted on the grill and washed

Ingredients for the batter to cover the chiles

For Chile: 30 poblano chiles
9 eggs
3 tablespoons flour
2 cup oil.

Ingredients for the filling

1 / 4 cup butter
1 / 2 cup olive oil
10 cloves of peeled garlic
7 cloves  of garlic, minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 kilo of chopped pork or chicken or veal, cooked with onion, garlic, black pepper and salt  
1 / 2 cup raisins
1 cup pitted prunes, finely chopped
1 cup crystallized pear or orange finely chopped  
1 cup fresh or crystallized pineapple, finely chopped  
5 pears, finely chopped
5 peaches, finely chopped
2 medium apples or finely chopped
1 ripe plantain banana, finely chopped
1 kilo of ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 cup of finely chopped pealed almonds
1 cup of pine nuts
1 / 2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 / 2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 / 2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 / 2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 sprig of laurel leaves
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 sprigs fresh marjoram
1 / 2 cup of dry sherry
1 / 2 cup of dry white wine
sea salt to taste

Ingredients for the nogada

225 walnuts (3 cups) peeled and soaked in milk
60 almonds (1 cup) peeled and soaked in milk
1 1 / 2 cups creamy goat cheese (200 grams each)
2 cups milk
1 1 / 2 cups of natural cream
1 cup of light cream to beat
1 tablespoon of grated onion
3 tablespoons sugar (to make a syrup with a little water)
1 / 2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 / 2 cup dry or sweet sherry or combined
salt to taste

Ingredients for the garnish

4 or 5 peeled and shelled red pomegranates
1 bunch of parsley, washed and cut into leaves

Preparation of the chiles
Toast the peppers with its sprig attached, turning them constantly so that they have an even color and will not burn. They should be crisp and not soggy. Wrap the chiles in a plastic bag and let them sweat. After about a half an hour, devein them. Then removed the skin and wash them in water. Make a small insertion on the side of the pepper to remove the veins, rinse and drain again. If they are too spicy or hot then soak them in water with a bit of vinegar and salt for about 30 minutes. Remove them, drain, and dry them then fill them with the stuffing. Place a cloth on a tray and put the peppers on top of the cloth ready to prepare.
Note that the poblano chile at the time of St. Augustine in Puebla, Pue. (August 28) is characterized by being meaty; they are a dark green, while the darker the color the less spicy they will be. With the incision they will be easier to fill them.

Preparation for the stuffing

1. In a large saucepan heat the butter and olive oil. Stir in minced garlic and onion and cook until translucent, set aside. Add cooked meat, sauté and season with salt and pepper.
2. Then add the raisins, plums, pears crystallized pineapple and fresh fruit. Cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Continue by adding the tomato, walnuts, pine nuts, spices, herbs, seasoning and liquor.
3. Simmer until it takes on a thick consistency. Season again when you start to see the bottom of the pan. Approximate cooking time is two hours. Cool.

Preparation of the batter

To "cover the peppers" you will need to: Beat egg whites until stiff and firm, then blend well with the yolks. The peppers are lightly floured then dropped into the batter. Immediately introduce them into the pan with hot oil to be fried (the oil should be kept at a constant temperature). Turned on all sides and when golden lay them on trays with a paper towel to drain the oil.

To make the walnut sauce:  Nogada

1. Carefully remove the walnuts from its shell.   Soak in milk to hydrate them so that they do not turn black. Drain and peel the walnuts.  Do the same with the almonds; soak in milk for 2 hours drain and peel them. Blend the walnuts and almonds in the blender and pour the milk slowly into the nogada so that it is with a firm consistency and not to liquid.
2. Blend the cheese with cream and continue with the rest of the ingredients. Transfer them to a bowl and pour in the onion, sugar or syrup, cinnamon and sherry. Add salt to your liking.
3. Refrigerate the sauce for 2 hours, in case it is too thick, add more cream, the consistency should be semi thick.

Presentation of the plate.

1. Place chiles in large bowl or individual plates.
2. Bathe the chile with walnut sauce, garnish with pomegranate seeds on top, and decorate the sides with parsley leaves.
3. Chile is to be served at room temperature.

Enjoy!