Chiles En Nogada

Recipe courtesy El Meson, Austin, TX

• Ready In: 10 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 32

Ingredients

• Stuffing

• 1  cup olive oil
• 2  large  white onions, grated
• 12  garlic cloves, whole plus 10 cloves garlic minced
• 1  lb ground beef
• 1  lb  ground ham
• 1  lb ground pork
• 1  lb  ground veal
• 6  peaches, finely chopped
• 6  large pears, finely chopped
• 6  large tomatoes, finely chopped (about 3 1/2 pounds)
• 4  apples, finely chopped
• 1  plantain, finely chopped
• 2  cups  finely chopped pineapple
• 2 1⁄2 cups prunes, pitted and finely chopped
• 1 1⁄2 cups candied citron peel, finely chopped
• 1  cup  dried apricot, finely chopped
• 1  cup  raisins or currants
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh ground pepper
• 1  tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•  salt
• 1  cup dry sherry
• 1  cup dry white wine
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 10  bay leaves
• 6  sprigs marjoram
• 6  sprigs thyme

• Chiles

• 32  medium poblano chiles
• 1  cup vinegar
• 2  tablespoons salt

• Nogada Sauce

• 4  cups walnuts
• 2  cups  almonds
• 1 1⁄2 cups  whole milk
• 1  cup  crema fresca or heavy cream
• 1  cup dry sherry
• 10  ounces  goat cheese
• 8  ounces cream cheese
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped onion
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  ground mexican cinnamon
•  pomegranate seeds, for garnish
•  fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions

1. For the stuffing:
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the olive oil. Once hot, add in the onions and cook until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the beef, ham, pork and veal. Cook, breaking up the larger pieces of meat, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add in the peaches, pears, tomatoes, apples, plantains and pineapple, and cook for a few minutes. Then add in the prunes, citron, apricots and raisins. Cook for a few minutes and then add in the black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and some salt, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sherry, white wine, butter, bay leaves, marjoram and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 35 minutes.
3. Carefully drain the stuffing and remove the herbs and bay leaves.
4. For the chiles:
5. Roast the chiles over an open flame or on the stovetop until the skin blackens on each side, about 3 minutes, then wrap the peppers in paper towels, and place in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap. When cool enough to handle, peel, seed and devein the chiles.
6. Mix 2 cups water with the vinegar, then place the peppers in the mixture and soak for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the peppers, and then stuff each pepper with 4 to 6 ounces of stuffing depending on the size.
7. For the sauce:
8. Soak the walnuts and almonds overnight. Alternatively, place the nuts in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat, adding some ice to cool. Once the nuts are done soaking, peel and rinse them with cold water, and then drain.
9. In a food processor add the milk, crema, sherry and nuts, and process until mostly smooth but still slightly chunky. Then add the goat cheese, cream cheese, onions, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
10. Serve the peppers cut-side down, add a generous amount of sauce, and then garnish with parsley and pomegranate seeds.