Recipe courtesy of Antonio's The Taste of Mexico
Chile Relleno en Nogada
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 6 servings
- Total: 7 hr (includes chilling time)
- Active: 1 hr
Ingredients
Relleno Filling:
1 ounce olive oil
1 large yellow onion
1 ounce minced garlic
2 large apples
2 large pears
1 cup raisins
4 ounces sugar
1 ounce salt
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
5 ounces ground cinnamon
2 ounces ground cumin
2 ounces Mexican oregano
2 ounces thyme
1 ounce ground black pepper
5 pounds ground beef
16 ounces crushed tomatoes
Pecan Brandy Cream Sauce:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups pecans
1 cup milk
3 ounces cream cheese
3 ounces feta
2 1/2 ounces sugar
2 ounces goat cheese
1 1/2 ounces brandy
1/2 ounce ground cinnamon
1/2 ounce minced garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 onion
Peppers:
Oil, for frying
6 poblano peppers
Serving suggestions: beans and rice, Cotija, chopped fresh cilantro, pomegranate seeds, lettuce, pico de gallo
Directions
Special equipment:
a deep-fryer- For the relleno filling: Heat a large pot or rondeau, then add the oil, onions, garlic, apples, pears and raisins. Sauté for about 7 minutes, then add the sugar, salt, clove, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, thyme and pepper and stir for 7 minutes. Add the ground beef and 16 ounces water and break the meat up with a large whisk. Add the crushed tomatoes, then stir everything and let simmer for a good 40 minutes to 1 hour. Keep breaking the meat down. Strain and cool down in the fridge for 5 hours.
- For the pecan brandy cream sauce: Blend the cream, pecans, milk, cream cheese, feta, sugar, goat cheese, brandy, cinnamon, garlic, salt and onion in a blender for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
- For the peppers: Heat up a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Set the peppers in a fryer basket. Keep the other basket on top of the peppers to submerge them in the oil until the skin bursts, 3 to 4 minutes. Get an ice bath ready to shock them. Transfer to the ice bath, then peel and seed them. Stuff the peppers with the filling.
- Warm up the peppers in the oven until the temperature is over 150 degrees F inside the peppers, 15 minutes. Alternatively, microwave for 3 1/2 minutes and put on a plate. Serve with beans and rice, topped with the pecan brandy cream sauce, garnished with Cotija, chopped cilantro, fresh pomegranate, lettuce and pico de gallo.