|
Chiles en Nogada Vegetarian Style
from Sandra
Hoopes at
www.EverydaySouthwest.com
Chiles en
Nogada Vegetarian Style can serve as an entre for your
vegetarian guests or a beautiful side dish to complement
your Thanksgiving dinner.
Chiles en
Nogada Vegetarian Style
Serves 12
12 fresh
poblano chiles, as straight and nicely shaped as
possible
Filling
3
tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium
onion, finely diced
1 clove
garlic, minced
2 teaspoons
achiote paste
2 tablespoons
fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon
fresh lemon juice
2 cups
uncooked rice
4 cups
vegetable stock
1/2 cup dried
apricot, finely diced
1/2 cup
golden raisins
1/4 cup dried
cranberries
1 apple,
peeled and diced
1 pear,
peeled and diced
1 teaspoon
dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon
dried thyme
salt and
pepper to taste
Sauce
1 cup sliced
almonds
1 to 1 1/2
cups whole milk
2 teaspoons
cream sherry
1 cup heavy
whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon
salt
1 tablespoon
sugar
Garnish
2
pomegranates, seeded
Directions
Pre-heat
broiler
Spread the
chiles on a baking sheet and roast under a broiler on
the highest rack. Roast chiles until blackened and
blistered. Turn to roast on all sides, about 8 to 10
minutes total. Chiles should still be firm .
Remove chiles
from oven and put directly into a large bowl. Cover
with plastic wrap. The steam from the chiles will help
loosen the skins and make them easier to peel.
When the
chiles are cool, peel the skins away. With a sharp
knife, make one cut down the length of the chile.
Remove the seeds being careful not to remove the top or
stem of the chile. You may rinse the chiles briefly to
remove charred peel. Set aside.
Filling
Peel and dice
the onions, garlic and fruit. Set aside. Heat oil in
a medium pot. Saute onion, garlic and rice until
rice is opaque. Combine achiote paste, orange and lemon
juice to make a paste. Add to the rice. Pour in
vegetable stock, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat
and simmer until the liquid has reduced to just above
the level of the rice, about ten minutes. Add diced
fruit and herbs. Replace lid. Finish cooking rice.
Remove from heat and cool rice mixture.
Gently fill
chiles and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Cover
with foil and heat in a 250 degree oven until warm all
the way through.
Sauce
Prepare sauce
by heating a large saute pan over medium high heat.
Lightly toast the sliced almonds in the dry pan to bring
out their flavor but, do not brown them. Add milk,
sherry, and cream. Bring to a boil and reduce until the
sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add salt and sugar to
taste. The sauce should not be sweet, the sugar should
only bring out the flavor of the almonds.
Plate the
stuffed chiles on a large platter. Cover the chiles
half way so that the half nearest the stem is uncovered
and green.
Garnish
with pomegranate seeds.
Note-
The
chiles may be roasted and peeled a day or two in
advance. The filling can also be made a head. Do not
stuff them until the day of Thanksgiving. Bring the
chiles and the filling to room temperature before
stuffing the chiles. Heat through just before serving.
The sauce can
be made Thanksgiving morning and reheated just before
serving. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin it with a
little milk.
|
