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MexicanMain Courses

Authentic Mexican Chiles en Nogada

⏱️ Prep: 40m🔥 Cook: 45m∑ Total: 85m🍽️ 6 servings
Authentic Mexican Chiles en Nogada
🎬 Video ref: Jauja Cocina Mexicana (Janet)

Mise en Place / Ingredients[21]

  • 6 whole Large poblano peppers for stuffing
  • 1.5 lbs Ground beef and pork mix
  • 2 tbsp Neutral cooking oil
  • 0.5 whole White onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 whole Ripe Roma tomatoes, finely diced
  • 1 whole Crisp apple, peeled and diced
  • 1 whole Ripe pear, peeled and diced
  • 1 whole Ripe plantain (plátano macho), diced
  • 0.25 cup Dark raisins
  • 0.25 cup Blanched slivered almonds
  • 2 tbsp Pink or white pine nuts (piñones)
  • 0.5 tsp Ground Mexican Ceylon cinnamon
  • 1.5 tsp Kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1.5 cups Peeled English walnuts (Diamond Walnuts)
  • 4 oz Fresh goat cheese or cream cheese
  • 1 cup Whole milk
  • 2 tbsp Dry sherry (jerez) or white wine
  • 1 cup Fresh pomegranate arils
  • 0.25 cup Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

🛒 US Supermarket Brand Guide

English Walnuts: Diamond Shelled Walnuts

Plump fresh halves that peel cleanly for white sauce. • 📍 Baking aisle.

Cooking Sequence & Checkpoints

1
Roast and Peel Poblanos⏱️ 20 min

Char poblano peppers on a hot comal, steam in a covered bag for 15 minutes, then peel and deseed carefully through a single slit.

✓ Checkpoint: Whole tender peeled poblanos.

2
Fruit Picadillo⏱️ 25 min

Heat cooking oil in a wide skillet and sauté white onion and garlic. Brown the ground beef and pork to ≥160°F (71°C), then fold in diced tomatoes, apple, pear, plantain, raisins, almonds, pine nuts, cinnamon, kosher salt, black pepper, and 1 tbsp sherry; simmer until thick.

✓ Checkpoint: Sweet-savory aromatic filling cooked to ≥160°F (71°C).

3
Blend Nogada Sauce⏱️ 5 min

Puree peeled walnuts, goat cheese, whole milk, remaining 1 tbsp sherry, a pinch of cinnamon, and salt in a blender until ultra-creamy.

✓ Checkpoint: Velvety ivory sauce.

4
Assemble Tricolor⏱️ 5 min

Stuff peppers with warm picadillo, coat generously with room-temperature nogada sauce, and garnish with ruby pomegranate arils and chopped fresh parsley.

✓ Checkpoint: Iconic Mexican flag presentation.

🛡️ Food Safety & Internal Temperature: 160°F (71°C) USDA safe minimum internal temperature for ground beef and porkUSDA Food Safety Minimum (≥160°F / 71°C): Ground beef and ground pork must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160°F (71°C) verified with an instant-read thermometer—never judge safety by color or juiciness alone—because grinding distributes surface bacteria throughout the meat.
👁️ Master Doneness Checkpoint:Pure white ivory nogada sauce draping the pepper, dotted with ruby pomegranate and fresh emerald parsley.

🔬 Why It Works:

Peeling the Walnuts: Removing the paper-thin bitter walnut skins ensures an ivory-white sauce with zero tannic astringency.

⚠️ Troubleshooting:

Nogada tastes bitter: Soak walnuts in warm milk 10 minutes to peel easily.