crab stuffed poblano peppers in walnut sauce (chilis en nogada)

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This has always been one of my favorite Mexican dishes. Chilis en nogada, or stuffed chili pepper with walnut sauce–a truly seductive Mexican meal. Typically made with poblano peppers stuffed with beef and/or pork, I decided to try this recipe with crab instead. I paired this dish with a bottle of chilled 2007 Adelsheim Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley. Just delicious!

crab_stuffed_chilis_walnut_sauce.jpgCrab Stuffed Poblano Peppers in Walnut Sauce.

Walnut Sauce

  • 1 cup fresh walnuts
  • 3 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 1 cup Mexican crema (or 1/2 cups sour cream &1/2 cup heavy cream)
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry


Stuffing.

  • 4 Tablespoons safflower or canola oil
  • 1/2 cup of onions, chopped
  • 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 lb crab meat
  • 1 tsp jalapeno, thinly sliced and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds, blanched and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 oz / 3 Tbsp golden raisins
  • 1 apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 fresh pear, peeled and chopped
  • 1 14.5 oz can of tomatoes, chopped, discard juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Chiles

  • 6 fresh poblano chili peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded, leaving the stem intact

Garnish

  • 1 cup pomegranate seeds
  • chopped cilantro leaves
  • a handful of chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Preparing the Walnut Sauce (Prepare 2 hours in advance)

  1. Place the nuts, crema and cream cheese in a blender and blend thoroughly.
  2. Pour in the sherry and mix until thoroughly combined.
  3. Refrigerate for at leasts 2 hours.

Crab Stuffing

  1. In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. 
  2. Stir in crab meat and jalapeno pepper and cook for 3 minutes. stirring constantly so crab does not brown.
  3. Add the cinnamon, pepper, and cloves, raisins, and the almonds
  4. Add the chopped pear and apple, and mix well.
  5. Lower heat to medium low. Add the tomatoes and salt to taste, and continue cooking over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir often so that the mixture doesn’t stick
  6. Remove from heat, covered, and let cool Note: This may be made 1 day in advance.

Peppers
Preparing the Peppers

  1. Place 1-2 peppers directly in or over the flame of a gas stove to char and blister all sides. Using tongs, turn over to get all sides, top and bottom. The idea is to char the skin to be able to peel it when cooled. After each chili is roasted, put them in a paper (or plastic bag) to cool, about 10 minutues. 
  2. Use your hands gently rub and peel the skin away from the pepper keeping the stems intact. Rinse under cool water as you do this to gently wash away skin. Be gentle to keep peppers intact. 
  3. Place pepper on paper towel to dry for about 5 minutes

Stuffing the peppers

  1. Make a vertical slit down the side of each poplano pepper. The cut should be long enough to scrape out the seeds and cut away the membrane /veins. Use your hands to flick out the seed sack and seeds, and a scissor to cut away 5h3 veins. Keep the stem end intact. 
  2. Run under water to be sure all seeds are removed.
  3. Drain the chillies on absorbent paper until completely dry. 
  4. Take the crab mixture and stuff each pepper. Gently push each side of the slit to close the pepper after stuffed.
  5. Preheat the oven to 250ºF. Place stuffed peppers in a oven-proof platter covered with aluminun foil, to warm for about 15 minutes.

Plating the Dish

  1. After the peppers are thoroughly heated, place the chiles on a serving platter or on individual plates
  2. Top the peppers with the chilled walnut sauce and garnish wiht chopped cilantro, pomegranate seeds and chopped walnuts.

Serve with a chilled glass of white wine. Enjoy! This is truly a delicious dish.