As a kid, stuffed peppers were my favorite meal, each pepper a whimsical meal in itself. I drew on that association while developing a recipe for Chiles en Nogada in our newly released book “Chile, Clove, and Cardamom: A Gastronomic Journey Into the Fragrances and Flavors of Desert Cuisines,” co-authored with renowned ethnobotanist and writer Gary Paul Nabhan.
This Mexican specialty of roasted poblano chiles, stuffed with spiced ground meat and garnished with walnut cream and pomegranate seeds, is traditionally served in September to celebrate Independence Day. It’s a colorful representation of the Mexican flag—green, white, and red.
The recipe is relatively easy, but it does take time. I confess, that like my mom I’ve dared to take a few shortcuts to make it more accessible for a busy home cook. The resulting recipe is simple and flexible, but reflects the same flavors and presentation. Choose any ground meat you’d like, beef, chicken, pork, lamb, or a mix; use any pepper you’d like, and vary the spices to suit your taste.
Stuffed Mexican Peppers in Yogurt Walnut Sauce
Serves 4 to 8.- 8 large poblano chiles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground dark meat chicken or turkey
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup chopped tart apple
- 1/2 cup dried raisins, plumped in hot water to cover
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/4 cup dry sherry, optional
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes with juices
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
- 1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup raw whole walnuts
- 1 cup Mexican Crema, sour cream, or plain whole Greek-style yogurt
- 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds, for garnish
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley, for garnish
To make the stuffing: Film a large skillet with the oil and spread the ground meat out in an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue cooking, breaking up the meat with the back of a spoon and scraping up any browned bits until the meat is lightly browned. Stir in the onion and garlic, and continue cooking until the onion is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the apples, raisins with their juices, oregano, cinnamon, clove, sherry, and tomatoes, and stir, scraping up any brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the liquid is reduced and the stuffing is firm. Stir in the pistachios, olives, parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and adjust the flavors to taste. Set aside.
To fill the peppers: Reduce the oven to 200 degrees F. Place the peppers cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet and fill each with equal amounts of the stuffing, pressing the filling into the peppers, but not so much they burst. Place in the oven to hold until ready to serve.
To make the sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine the walnuts, yogurt, and cheese and process until smooth but still a bit chunky.
Serve the peppers drizzled with the sauce and garnished with the pomegranate seeds and parsley.
