Chiles en Nogada
Jules Moreau Demo- Makes
- 32 stuffed chiles · about 12 kg
- Active
- 4 h 35 min
- Total
- 2 h 15 min
You’ll Need Mortar and pestle, Large, deep frying pan, Stand or hand mixer or Whisk, Blender, Gas flame, grill or broiler (for roasting the chiles)
Method
Walnuts
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A few days ahead, rub or pick the thin brown skins off the . It is slow work; fresh walnuts peel most easily.
the nuts are ivory white all overSafe to pause here[object Object]
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Put the peeled walnuts in a container, cover with and refrigerate until you make the sauce.
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Picadillo Filling
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Cook the , and in the in a large frying pan over medium heat, breaking up the meat, until cooked through.
no pink left in the meat[object Object]
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Pound the , and to a paste in a mortar. Stir in a little , pass it through a sieve into the meat and stir.
the kitchen fills with the smell of cinnamon and clove[object Object]
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Add the , , and . Simmer for about , stirring now and then, and season with .
the tomato juices have cooked down and the mixture is moist but not wet[object Object]
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Stir in the drained and with the and , mix well and cook for only . Take the pan off the heat straight away so the fruit holds its shape.
fruit warmed through but still in distinct cubes[object Object]
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Cover with a clean kitchen towel, not a lid, and let the filling cool.
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Poblano Chiles
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Roast the 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.
skin charred and loose all overthe flesh still firm enough to hold a filling[object Object]
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Rub off the skins, cut a lengthwise slit in each chile and carefully pull out the seeds and veins, keeping the stem on.
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Soak the chiles in water seasoned with and for , then pat dry with paper towels.
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Spoon the cooled filling into each chile without overstuffing, so the slit still closes over it.
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Batter and Frying
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Pour into a large frying pan to a depth of about 1.5 cm (⅝ in) and heat it.
a drop of batter sizzles and rises at once -
Whip the egg whites from the to stiff peaks, then beat in the yolks one at a time and season with .
a thick, fluffy, pale yellow batter[object Object]
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Roll each stuffed chile lightly in the , holding it closed, then dip it in the batter until fully coated.
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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.
deep golden all over[object Object]
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Drain on paper towels, changing the paper a few times to soak up as much oil as possible.
Nogada and Assembly
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Drain the walnuts and put them in a blender with the , , , and . Blend until smooth and creamy.
thick, white and pourable, like heavy cream[object Object]
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Arrange the chiles on a platter, cover them with the nogada and scatter over the and . Serve at room temperature or just warm.
From Jules Moreau
Puebla's September dish wears the colours of the Mexican flag. The picadillo is cooked with spices pounded with garlic, then the apples, pears, peaches and plantain go in only for the last few minutes so they keep their shape. Fresh walnuts, peeled and soaked in milk for days, make the nogada pure white and sweet.
Notes
- Walnuts: start a few days ahead. Fresh, new season walnuts peel far more easily; once peeled keep them covered in milk in the fridge. Packaged walnut halves work but taste less sweet and the sauce is darker.
- Pecans can replace walnuts: use 2 cups and rinse them three times in warm water to blanch them.
- Fruit: keep the diced apples and pears in water with a squeeze of lemon so they do not brown, and drain well before using. Skip acitrón (candied biznaga cactus); the plant is endangered.
- Batter: around Puebla the chiles are always battered and fried; you can leave this step out for a lighter dish.
- No pomegranate? Use diced red apple or dried cranberries for the red.
- Serve at room temperature or just warm, never hot.
Storage
Keep the filling, sauce and peeled chiles separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Assembled, battered chiles are best the day they are made.
Make Ahead
Peel and soak the walnuts up to 3 days ahead. Make the picadillo and roast and peel the chiles the day before; fry and sauce them on the day.
When to Start
Plan backwards from a time
Filed under Main · Latin America › Mexico › Puebla · Beef · Pork · Frying · Holiday · Chiles en Nogada. Tags: #make-ahead, #september, #weekend project.