Low Carb Deconstructed Chile en Nogada
Chile en Nogada is a dish that is served in Mexico from August to the first half of September during Mexican independence day when pomegranates are in season. Poblanos are traditionally stuffed with spiced meat made with fruits like apples, plantains, and pears. Then stuffed poblanos are covered with a creamy walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds. The result is a dish that contains red, green, and white colors like the Mexican flag. You will love this Keto Mexican recipe!
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Wash and dry the fresh poblanos and place them over an open fire. A gas stove is perfect for this. If you do not have a gas stove, char the peppers using a torch or under the broiler. If using a broiler, you will need to keep a close eye on the peppers and rotate them often.
Step 2
Once the peppers are charred on all sides, place them into a glass bowl. Cover them with plastic wrap and allow them to sit and rest. Covering them will cause the peppers to steam and release their skins which you will peel off later.
Step 3
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, cinnamon, 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt, grated apple, finely chopped onion, diced tomatoes, oregano, and garlic powder. Mix well to combine. Mixing very well will allow the meat to hold together. If you undermine it, it will tend to fall apart.
Step 4
Portion the meat into 24 meatballs, rounding them evenly. You can use a 1-ounce cookie scoop to make this process faster. Simply scoop all the meat into mounds first and then roll them into meatballs.
Step 5
Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the oil and swirl the pan. Add the meatballs to the pan to cook. It is ok if they are touching. Allow the meatballs to cook on the first side for several minutes, turning the heat down to medium if necessary.
Step 6
Flip the meatballs once they are nicely browned. Cook them on the other side until nicely browned. Then place the entire skillet into the oven (make sure your skillet is ovenproof) for 10 or so minutes until the meatballs register 165 F.
Step 7
While the meatballs are cooking, fill a blender with walnuts, queso fresco, whole milk, cream cheese, and remaining kosher salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Step 8
Uncover the poblanos and rinse them under cold water, using your hands to peel the skin off. Open the poblanos, which should be easy to do with your hands, and remove the seeds. Rinse the inside if necessary to remove the seeds. Cut the poblanos into thin strips.
Step 9
Plate six meatballs on a plate and top them with some poblano strips. Smother the meatballs with the sauce. Then top the plate with a few raspberries.
Ingredients
- Poblano Peppers, raw
4 pepper
- Pork Ground 84% Lean 16% Fat Raw
24 oz
- Cinnamon
0.25 tsp
- Coarse Kosher Salt
1.25 tsp
- Apple
0.25 medium – 3″ diameter
- Onion, white, yellow or red, raw
0.13 large
- Tomato, canned
0.5 cup
- Oregano, dried
0.5 tsp
- Garlic powder
0.25 tsp
- Almonds
0.33 cup, chopped
- Avocado oil
1.5 tbsp
- Walnuts
0.75 cup
- Queso fresco (Mexican white cheese)
2 oz
- Whole milk
0.67 cup
- Cream cheese
1.5 oz
- Coarse Kosher Salt
1.25 tsp
- Raspberries
0.5 cup, whole pieces