A Great Dish--Chiles en Nogada

Rush to La Casita Mexicana while pomegranates are in season in order to taste the restaurant’s glorious chiles en nogada (stuffed chiles in nut sauce).

This historic dish from Puebla, Mexico, was created to celebrate Mexico’s independence from Spain. The green chile, white nut sauce and sprinkle of red pomegranate seeds on top represent the three colors of the Mexican flag.

I’ve never had a better version than that at La Casita. There, fat poblano chiles are stuffed with ground pork, chopped pecans, biznaga, (candied cactus), raisins, plantains and fresh and dried pears and apples.

The creamy sauce combines thick Mexican crema, queso fresco (fresh cheese), pecans and enough sugar to make it delicately sweet. The restaurant freezes pomegranate seeds in order to serve the dish all year, but it is at its best with the fresh seeds. In California, the pomegranate season runs from September through January.

Chiles en nogada are $11.95 for one or $15.95 for two, accompanied by soup and rice, at La Casita Mexicana, 4030 E. Gage Ave., Bell, CA 90201. Tel: (323) 773-1898.

Comments

[Barbara]

Dan - you are such a clever chef you will figure out a way to make chiles en nogada in Buenos Aires. You have everything there except, as you say, the poblanos. But surely there is some other chile you can use?

[Dan]

This dish is a personal favorite - and it's been sooooo long... send poblanos.

;-)