Picadillo is a spiced meat filling made with fruit and usually nuts. It can be used for chile rellenos, empanadas, and other specialty Mexican dishes. This recipe adapted from Fridas Fiestas was served at the wedding of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
- 16 poblano chiles, roasted, seeded, and deveined
- all-purpose flour
- 5 eggs separated
- corn oil or lard
- 3 lbs. ground pork
- 1 large white onion, halved
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 6 Tablespoons lard or oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 zucchini, finely chopped
- 1 lb. tomatoes, seeded, chopped
- 1 cup cabbage, shredded
- 3/4 cup blanched almonds, chopped
- 1/2 cup raisins
- Tomato broth ( see recipe )
Prepare chiles: Char chiles on an open flame or under a broiler. Place in a plastic bag, seal and let chiles steam for about 10 – 15 minutes. Remove chiles from bag, carefully peel off skin using the back of a spoon. Avoid running under water to remove the skins as you will also remove the nice tasty charred bits. Make a lengthwise slit in the chile, remove the seed cluster with a knife being careful to leave the stem intact. Clean out the seeds and membrane, place the prepared poblanos on a cookie sheet, and place in the freezer while making the filling. They are easier to fill and batter when cold.
Prepare Picadillo: Cook the pork with the onion halves, garlic and salt and pepper to taste for about twenty minutes. Drain off liquid and remove onion. Heat the oil or lard in another saute pan. Add the onion, carrots, and zucchini and cook until onion is transparent. Add the tomato, cabbage, almonds, raisins and pork. season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about twenty minutes until the mixture has thickened and the tomato is cooked through.
Stuff Chiles: Stuff the chiles with the picadillo filling, then dust with flour. Beat the 5 egg whites until stiff. Beat the yolks lightly with a pinch of salt and gently fold into the whites to make a batter. Dip the chiles into the batter and fry in very hot oil until golden. Drain on paper. Serve with tomato broth.*
serves eight
Tomato Broth for Stuffed Chiles
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 10 roma tomatoes, charred, seeded, and chopped
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 cup queso cotijo cheese, crumbled
Heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and carrots until softened. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the oregano and continue to cook until the broth is flavorful and the tomatoes cooked through. Ladle broth onto a plate and place the chile on top. Garnish with a sprinkle of Mexican queso cotijo cheese or parmesan as a substitute.
Making Stuffed Chiles at our Mexican Cooking school.
