Chiles en Nogada

​¡VIVA MÉXICO!

Today, we celebrate the 210th anniversary of Mexico’s Independence, and as it is tradition, no celebration is complete without delicious food!
It is only with a few special dishes that we are able to pinpoint the exact moment of their creation. Even if, like with most legendary events, we have to navigate through the romantic versions that surround them. Such is the case of the iconic Chiles en Nogada.
One of my personal favourite versions is as multilayered as the dish itself, and it reflects the cultural and historical context that surround it.

In 1821, right after General Agustin de Iturbide signed the Córdoba Treaties, which granted Mexico independence from Spain, a banquet to honour him and his troops was organized in the city of Puebla.

The Augustine nuns in the convent of Santa Monica were famous for crafting the most refined culinary creations in Puebla. Adding to one of those mythical layers to this story is the fact that Saint Monica was St. Augustine’s mother; the name match with the general added yet another cause for celebration, specially, since it’s said that the banquet took place on August 28, on the Feast of St. Augustine.

When the nuns were asked to cater for the general they put on their aprons, rolled up their sleeves, and eagerly headed to their kitchen to create a very special dish. They sourced seasonal ingredients, and were able put together something that truly represents the identity of the newly created nation of Mexico.

During the three hundred years of Spanish domination, what is now Mexico served as a trading platform between Asia and Europe. Spices and ingredients from around the world were incorporated to the kitchens in the viceroyalty of New Spain, creating a unique syncretism of flavours and giving birth to new culinary traditions.

Perhaps one of the reasons why I like this version of the origins of the Chile en Nogada, is because I’d like to believe there was some sort of divine intervention in the creation of this dish. It’s only fitting to imagine that it was in the inner sanctum of the conventual kitchen where those flavours and aromas were created.

A flame roasted poblano, with a stuffing of well-balanced savoury and sweet flavours - minced beef and pork, diced pears, apples and peaches, chopped, skinned almonds, raisins, and the subtle hint of roasted tomato sauce binding it all together.
It is then blanketed with the Nogada – the walnut sauce, with some almonds, fresh goat cheese, and sherry. The sauce must be smooth and with the right consistency – not lumpy and not runny, and to achieve its signature white colour the walnuts and almonds must be skinned.

The crafty nuns, used their artistry above and beyond the cooking techniques, they knew the presentation of the dish was just as important as the flavours. They garnished the white canvas of the Nogada with the deep green of fresh, chopped parsley and the vibrant red of juicy pomegranate arils, and doing so, they were able to capture the colours of the newly created Mexican Flag.

Even though there’s no written record of this version, or a culinary review of how much Iturbide enjoyed this now legendary dish, we do know that they first appear in recipe books only after the war of Independence, and the best known recipes call for the stuffed poblano to be first dipped in a light egg batter and fried. However, over the years, the egg batter has become a point of dispute, as many now prefer to see the green of the chile, accentuating the combination of colours, and producing a lighter alternative.
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Battered or not, the truth is that eating a Chile en Nogada is almost an indescribable pleasure, a feast for the senses, and with every bite, we travel through time to celebrate the birth of a nation.