Perhaps it is not the favorite of some, but it is loved by others. The elaboration and consumption of this peculiar dish begins at the end of July and ends until mid-September, as prelude to the national celebrations.
But, have you ever wondered what its origin is? Why do they have that name? How can we prepare them?
Origin of chiles en nogada
Chiles en nogada were born in 1600 in the convent of the Poor Clare nuns. In 1821, the year in which the Mexican Independence Act was signed, the Augustinian mothers of the Convent of Santa Mónica in Puebla offered Agustín de Iturbide this dish that until now is representative of Mexican gastronomyaccording to information shared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
In colonial times, chile en nogada was considered a luxury dish, however over time its tradition spread and it is still cooked and tasted in most Mexican homes.
The chili in nogada It would be the first dish of independent Mexico. It is consumed in the months of July, August and September because the Castile nut (essential ingredient in the preparation of nogada) and the pomegranate (another key ingredient) are harvested during those months.
The Castile nut is harvested in the municipality of Calpan, Puebla, where each year the traditional Chile Fair in Nogada.
For this year, the Chile en Nogada Fair will be held every weekend in August. It will start from Friday the 5th to Sunday the 7th and later every Saturday and Sunday of the month.
Original recipe and ingredients
Chili, pomegranate, walnut, pork, egg and parsley are some of the essential ingredients for the preparation of this peculiar tricolor saucer.
It is said that in the original recipe they chose to make some poblano peppers that were roasted, peeled and cleaned to fill them with a mincemeat based on pork, tomato, onion, garlic and seasonal fruits such as apple, pear, peach and banana. as well as almonds, pine nuts, walnuts and other spices.
For the cover, a sauce based on walnuts from Castilla ground in metate with fresh cheese and sugar, and later milk and a little sherry are added until a uniform mixture is achieved. After weathering the chiles, they are arranged on large plates, bathed in the sauce and garnished with some grana grains and parsley leaves, which gives as a final result a dish with the colors of the Mexican flag.
This food is traditionally served in a Talavera dishtraditional majolica from Puebla and Tlaxcala.