cooked • 5 peppers
CHILES EN NOGADA WAS a traditional Mexican dish that I first had at my friend Angelica’s house. It’s poblano peppers stuffed with shredded meat, covered with a walnut cream sauce, and topped with pomegranate seeds, representing all three colors of the Mexican flag: green, white, and red. This is a vegan interpretation of the dish that still reps all the traditional colors.
Active time: 45 minutes
Inactive time: 2 to 3 hours
5 poblano peppers
2 cups walnuts, soaked in water overnight, then drained
2 cups cremini or button mushrooms
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 cups cooked brown rice
½ cup fresh cilantro
¾ cup sliced almonds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
For the walnut crema:
1½ cups walnuts, soaked in water overnight, then drained
About 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
Pinch of salt
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. On a baking sheet, roast the peppers until the skin is blackened, then place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Once the peppers have steamed, carefully peel away all the skin, leaving the body intact. Make a slit down the middle of each pepper and discard the core and seeds.
4. In a food processor, combine the walnuts, mushrooms, onion, and garlic and blend until a chunky paste forms.
5. Using a spatula, combine this paste with the rice, mixing until well incorporated. Fold in the cilantro, almonds, and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Stuff each pepper with the filling, then use a toothpick or skewer to hold the slit closed. Return the peppers to the baking sheet.
7. Drizzle the peppers with oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the peppers are wrinkly and starting to brown along the edges.
8. Make the walnut crema: Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until completely smooth. Add more or less coconut milk depending on the desired consistency. Remove the peppers from the oven, drizzle with the walnut crema, and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.