Chiles En Nogada
This is a great fall dish that I recently prepared for a
friend and myself. The traditional version of the dish is called Chiles en
Nogadas, a stuffed poblano dish served on Mexican Independence day (That’s
September 17th, not Cinco de Mayo). This is a fine dining take on a
comfort classic. Other than what I had on hand at home, I purchased the ingredients from Outpost in Bay View. I began by dry rubbing the pork tenderloin with cumin, coriander, and chili de arbol that I roasted and ground myself. While the tenderloin sat in the fridge I soaked my mesquite wood chips in a little water. I also seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and the grill with a little peanut oil. I then smoked the tenderloin on a low heat in order to develop a nice smoke ring and flavor.
While the tenderloin smoked, I roasted pears, apples,
onions, and turnips in the oven for the mash. You should also include some
fresh sprigs or thyme, marjoram, and Mexican oregano to the pan of roasting
veggies to add a wonderful aromatic essence. After everything is roasted add
heavy cream, butter, salt, pepper, and a little of the roasted herbs to the
fruits and vegetables and mash to your desired consistence.
The green chili sauce can be made the day before if desired
in order to let the flavors come together. First you must roast a few poblano
peppers. After removing the skins and seeds, the peppers to a blender. Add
chopped and blanched walnuts or almonds to the blender. Salt and pepper to
taste. Make sure to add a little honey and apple cider vinegar to provide a
balanced flavor. Blend on high and slowly add the olive oil. You want to add it
in thirds and make sure the first third is drizzled in as slow as possible in order
to achieve proper emulsification.
The final step in preparation is crushing, or grinding in a
coffee grinder, the freeze-dried pomegranate seeds. They provide a flavor and
color burst to send the dish over the top.
While the plating and prep differ from the traditional dish,
this is a modern take on an amazing meal. The red, white, and green shine
bright on the plate, just as they do on the flag.
Check out this video on how to make the traditional version.
