Recipe: Stuffed Chiles in Walnut Sauce

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From: Nancy,.SanFran

Fresh Chiles Stuffed with Pork & Fruit in Walnut Sauce
Recipe By : The San Francisco Chronicle Wednesday, April 29, 1998
Serves 8

WALNUT SAUCE
1 1/2 cups whole walnuts
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper -- to taste

STUFFED CHILES
8 large poblano chiles
1/3 cup corn oil
3/4 cup minced onion
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 serrano chiles -- minced (with seeds)
6 plum tomatoes -- finely diced
2 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 pineapple slices -- each 1 inch thick,
cut into small dice
1 moderately ripe plantain -- cut into small dice
1 green apple -- cored but not
peeled, cut into small dice
1/4 cup chopped whole almonds
1/4 cup currants
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 pound boiled -- hand-shredded pork butt
1/2 cup pork or chicken broth -- (optional)
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper -- for garnish
Italian parsley sprigs -- for garnish

Pomegranate seeds are the traditional garnish for this dish.

To make the walnut sauce: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the walnuts. When the water returns to a boil, drain. Repeat with fresh water. Combine the blanched walnuts, half-and-half and milk in a blender; blend until smooth.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until they are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the walnut mixture, marjoram and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, stirring. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

If mixture gets too hot, it may separate. If so, transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Keep the sauce warm, not hot, while you prepare the chiles.

Roast the chiles over a gas flame or charcoal until the skins blister all over. Do not overcook or the chiles will be too soft. Transfer to a plastic bag and close tightly. When the chiles are cool enough to handle, peel them, then slit open and remove the seeds.

To make the stuffing: Heat the corn oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the onion, garlic and minced serrano chiles and saute until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and saute about 3 minutes to soften them, then stir in the herbs, pineapple, plantain and apple. Saute for about 3 minutes. Stir in the almonds, currants, cinnamon and meat. If the mixture looks dry, add about 1/2 cup broth. Cook, stirring, until the flavors are well blended and the mixture is moist, neither soupy nor dry. Season with salt and pepper.

Stuff the chiles generously, gently pushing the mixture into the shoulders of the chiles. Chiles should be full -- they should not close around the filling.

To serve: Put a chile on each dinner plate. Top with a generous amount of walnut sauce. Garnish with 1 tablespoon of of the diced red bell pepper and a parsley sprig.