Chile Rellenos En Nogada

Chile rellenos appear on the menu in most Tex-Mex Restaurants; however, this recipe takes them a step further with the addition of nuts - namely pecans! Recipe is taken from my "In Praise of Pecans" cookbook.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  slices  day-old  bread
• 3⁄4 cup milk
• 1⁄2 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
•  salt

• Stuffed Peppers

• 6  poblano peppers
• 1  lb ground beef (or 1/2 pound each ground beef and ground pork)
• 1  large tomatoes, diced (or 2/3 cu diced canned tomatoes)
• 1  tablespoon onion, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup raisins, soaked in water
• 1⁄2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1⁄2 banana, mashed (optional)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
•  salt
•  pomegranate seeds (optional)

Directions

1. In a shallow bowl, soak bread in milk. Mix pecans and cream cheese; add to bread with sugar, cinnamon and salt. Chill until serving.
2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Roast the peppers for 10-15 minutes, turning on all sides until blistered and blackened. Meanwhile in a skillet, brown the meat. Add tomatoes and onion; saute for 2-3 minutes. Stir in pecans, raisins, cheese, (banana, if desired), cinnamon, cloves and salt; set aside.
3. Place peppers in a paper bag; let stand for 5-10 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F. Remove one pepper at a time and peel charred skin (do not wash); slit lengthwise and remove seeds. Carefully fill each pepper with meat mixture. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve with chilled sauce. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds if desire.