Chiles en Nogada, a Mexican tradition

 

Mexico’s cuisine has always had dishes that represent its richness and pride; they’re now known all over the world for their flavor and special preparation. One of those is Chiles en Nogada, a classic dish that tops the menus of every restaurant in September.

This season, we must talk about Chiles en Nogada, and the story of how they became one of our preferred dishes.

In 1821, during the Mexican War of Independence, the Augustinian nuns of the convent of Santa Monica in Puebla prepared a dish with fresh regional ingredients. In addition to feature the three colors of the army’s flag, this dish celebrated the victory of the Independence, and specially the heroic role Agustin de Iturbide played in the war.

 

At Balcon del Zocal, we inspire on our history and let the creativity of Chef Pepe Salinas to find the perfect combination of flavors that will allow you to enjoy this traditional dish, and at the same time with our contemporary touch.

 

Preparation

We pick the freshest Chiles Poblanos every day, and smoke them using oak wood, just how people used to do it in the old kitchens. I addition to give the dish its characteristic flavor, this also grants it a faint wood aroma.

The stuffing: Apples, peaches, pears, walnuts, almonds and pine nuts mix with ground beef and pig meat, which in addition to give the preparation a special scent, they provide a great range of textures that highlight the fruity taste of the stuffing, with the bit spicy touch of chile poblano.

The nogada: We prepare the nogada (a sauce made with cream, walnuts and a twist of sherry) using our exclusive recipe. We use hand-made cheese produced in Ocosingo Chiapas, which in addition to give the cream a smooth texture, adds an unconventional flavor that mixes with the walnut and almonds, and turns a little bit acid because of sherry.

 

And the final touch, but not the less important: pomegranate and parsley, two elements that in addition to provide flavor, they represent the three colors of our flag (green, white and red) that makes us feel proud of being part of a great country and represents us around the world.

Enjoy this season the Chiles en Nogada we have prepared for you. Remember each of them are special for us, that’s why each has a specific number, and are served at your table together with the story about its origin.

You should try them. We’ll be waiting for you!