Especials del Sudoeste
Southwest Specialties

Chiles En Nogada
Chiles in Walnut Sauce

6 chiles poblanos
1 small bunch Italian parsley
seeds of one small pomegranate

Picadillo

3 pounds boneless pork
1/2 onion -- sliced
2 cloves garlic -- peeled
1 tablespoon salt
6 tablespoons lard or
the fat from the broth
1/2 medium onion
-- finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
-- peeled and chopped
8 peppercorns
5 whole cloves
1/2 inch stick cinnamon
3 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons almonds
-- blanched & slivered
2 tablespoons acitron
or candied fruit -- chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 pounds tomatoes
-- peeled and seeded
1 pear -- peeled and chopped
1 peach -- peeled and chopped

Nogada (Walnut Sauce)

25 fresh walnuts -- shelled
1 small piece white bread
-- without crust
1/4 pound farmer cheese
1 1/2 cups Thick Sour Cream
-- See recipe
1/2 teaspoon salt
large pinch powdered cinnamon

This is one of the famous 
dishes of Mexico: 
large, dark green chiles 
poblanos stuffed with 
a pork meat picadillo 
and covered 
with a walnut sauce. 
It is decorated with 
red pomegranate seeds 
and the large-leafed 
Italian parsley.

The recipe is said to have 
been concocted by the 
grateful people of Puebla, 
who were giving a banquet in honor of 
Don Agustin de Iturbide's saint's day, 
August 28 in 1821. 
He and his followers had 
led he final revolt 
against Spanish domination; 
as self-proclaimed emperor he had just 
signed the Treaty of Cordoba.
All the dishes at the 
banquet were concocted 
of ingredients of the 
colors of the Mexican flag; 
in this dish were the green chiles, 
the white sauce, 
and the red pomegranate seeds.

Prepare the picadillo:

Cut the meat into large cubes. 
Put them into the 
pan with the onion, 
garlic, and salt and 
cover with cold water. 
Bring the meat to a boil, 
lower the flame and let 
it simmer until just tender--
about 40 to 45 minutes. 
Do not overcook. 
Leave the meat to cool off 
in the broth.

Strain the meat, 
reserving the broth, 
then shred or 
chop it finely and set it aside. 
Let the broth get completely cold 
and skim off the fat. 
Reserve the fat. 

Melt the lard and cook 
the onion and garlic, 
without browning, 
until they are soft.

Add the meat and let it cook until 
it begins to brown.

Crush the spices 
roughly and add them, 
with the rest of the ingredients 
to the meat mixture. 
Cook the mixture 
a few moments longer.

Mash the tomatoes a little 
and add them to the 
mixture in the pan. 
Continue cooking the 
mixture over a high flame 
for about 10 minutes, 
stirring it from time 
to time so that 
it does not stick. 
It should be almost dry.

Prepare the walnut sauce:

Cover the nuts with 
boiling water and leave 
them to soak for 5 minutes. 
(If you leave them soaking 
too long the skin will
become too soft and will 
be more difficult to remove.) 
Remove the papery brown skin
--it should come 
off quite easily.

Cover the walnuts with 
cold water and leave 
them to soak overnight.

Blend all the ingredients 
until they are smooth.

Prepare the chiles:

Put the chiles straight 
onto a fairly high flame or 
under the broiler--
not into the oven--
and let the skin blister and burn. 
Turn the chiles from time to time 
so they do not get 
overcooked or burn right through.

Wrap the chiles in a damp cloth 
or plastic bag and 
leave them for 20 minutes. 
The burned skin will then 
flake off very easily 
and the flesh will become 
a little more cooked 
in the steam.

Make a slit in the side 
of each chile and 
carefully remove 
the seeds and veins. 
Be careful to leave 
the top of the chile, 
the part around the 
base of the stem, intact. 
(If the chiles are too picante, 
let them soak in a mild vinegar 
and water solution 
for about 30 minutes.)
Rinse the chiles and pat them dry.

Stuff the chiles until 
they are well filled out. 

Cover the chiles with the sauce 
and garnish with 
parsley leaves and 
pomegranate seeds.