Chiles en Nogada, · 32 stuffed chiles

A few days ahead, rub or pick the thin brown skins off the 795 g walnut halves, preferably fresh. It is slow work; fresh walnuts peel most easily.

Put the peeled walnuts in a container, cover with milk, to cover the walnuts and refrigerate until you make the sauce.

Cook the 1 white onion, 905 g ground pork and 905 g ground beef in the 155 ml vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, breaking up the meat, until cooked through.

Pound the 1 stick cinnamon stick, about 1 1/2 inches, 2 cloves garlic and 10 whole cloves to a paste in a mortar. Stir in a little water, for the spice paste, pass it through a sieve into the meat and stir.

Add the 4 tomatoes, 355 ml raisins, 355 ml blanched almonds and 355 ml pine nuts. Simmer for about 20 min, stirring now and then, and season with salt.

Stir in the drained 4 apples and 4 pears with the 4 peaches and 2 ripe plantains, mix well and cook for only 2 min to 3 min. Take the pan off the heat straight away so the fruit holds its shape.

Cover with a clean kitchen towel, not a lid, and let the filling cool.

Roast the 32 to 36 fresh poblano chiles directly over a high gas flame, turning, until the skins blister and blacken all over. Wrap them in a damp cloth to steam for a few minutes.

Rub off the skins, cut a lengthwise slit in each chile and carefully pull out the seeds and veins, keeping the stem on.

Soak the chiles in water seasoned with white vinegar, for soaking and salt, for soaking for 15 min, then pat dry with paper towels.

Spoon the cooled filling into each chile without overstuffing, so the slit still closes over it.

Pour vegetable oil, for frying into a large frying pan to a depth of about 1.5 cm (⅝ in) and heat it.

Whip the egg whites from the 24 eggs, separated to stiff peaks, then beat in the yolks one at a time and season with salt.

Roll each stuffed chile lightly in the 475 ml all purpose flour, holding it closed, then dip it in the batter until fully coated.

Fry a few chiles at a time, without crowding, turning once, until deep golden on both sides. A spatula helps to tip each chile against the side of the pan to cook the edges.

Drain on paper towels, changing the paper a few times to soak up as much oil as possible.

Drain the walnuts and put them in a blender with the 395 g fresh goat cheese, 30 ml sugar, 475 ml milk, 2 pinches ground cinnamon and 120 ml sweet sherry. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Arrange the chiles on a platter, cover them with the nogada and scatter over the 4 pomegranates, seeds only and flat leaf parsley sprigs. Serve at room temperature or just warm.