Chiles en Nogada

Chiles en Nogada are enjoyed on Mexican Independence Day which is September 16. Sweet, savory and smothered in a rich walnut cream sauce, no wonder they are legendary!

Chiles En Nogada Are Quite A Treat!

But let me be clear about my recipe for Chiles en Nogada – it is not authentic. Of course, the recipe is delicious, and worth your time to make, but the authentic recipes for Chiles en Nogada have approximately 50 ingredients, require 32 chiles and strongly suggest that you peel the skin from every walnut, almond and pine nut you add. My version is much simplified. Very delicious, still time consuming, but plausible.

Some Mexican recipes, such as Mole Poblano, Tamales, or Ponche Navideña call for a huge variety of ingredients. The celebration begins with the grocery shopping and everything delicious is added. But shortcuts can be helpful, especially if you don’t have command of a commercial kitchen staff or someone to watch the kids for a couple of days while you lock yourself in the kitchen.

Recipe Can Change!

I have a sneaking suspicion that even the most authentic recipes have changed over the years. Originally, Chiles en Nogada called for candied barrel cactus. Historically labeled “acitrón”, colonists converted local available foodstuffs into the delicacies they remembered from Europe. Crystalized citrus and ginger were scarce in the New World, but you could boil a slice of barrel cactus in sugar syrup, and it was the next best thing! Barrel cacti are now endangered in some parts, and it is illegal to cut them. So imported ingredients such as crystalized citrus, or even candied pineapple are now added.

In this recipe, I have even further simplified your grocery list so that you don’t need any crystalized fruit – golden raisins work very well. And, if you can’t find pine nuts, substitute for the nuts that you can find – pecans, cashews, or double up on your almonds. It’s all delicious!

Enjoy this simplified version of Chiles en Nogada. If you are curious about the most authentic recipe, look for Patricia Quintana’s recipe. It is amazing, challenging and the best you will ever taste. Set aside a full day for shopping and 2 full days for making them. Good luck!