The picadillo of choice here deviates from the norm a little in that the meat is boiled and shredded – a wonderful texture that holds its own and makes the ideal stuffing.
- 6 poblanos
- Stuffing
- 1 1/2 pound pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 white onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 10 peppercorns
- 1 clove
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup lard or oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp slithered almonds
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 1/2 pound tomato, diced
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Batter
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup flour, plus more for dusting the chilies
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Salsa verde sauce
- 8 tomatillos
- 1/2 large white onion
- 1-3 Serrano chilies (depending on how hot you like things), stem removed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves (a few stems are ok)
- 2 tbsp lard, or oil, for frying
- salt to taste
To prepare the stuffing
In a large pot, add the pork, quartered onion, four cloves of garlic, peppercorns, clove, allspice, and bay leaves. Cover with an inch of water and cook until tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Strain the pork, pick out the spices and discard. Reserve the pork stock for the sauce.
In a large frying pan over high heat, add the lard or oil. When hot, add the diced onion, three cloves of garlic, raisins, and almonds. Saute for a few minutes until the onions soften. Add the reserved pork meat and continue to cook for a few minutes until the meat is lightly browned.
Add the tomatoes and cinnamon (and perhaps 1/4 cup of the pork stock if the mix is dry), and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes until all the liquid is largely evaporated. Set aside.
For the salsa verde sauce
Rough chop the tomatillos, onion, and Serrano chilies. Transfer to a blender or food processor, along with the garlic and cilantro. Blend until smooth (a few lumps are okay).
Place a large frying pan over high heat and add the remaining lard or oil. When hot, empty the sauce into the pan. Be careful, as it will splatter somewhat. Cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes until the oil is absorbed. Add 1/2 cup reserved pork stock and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Salt to taste and set aside.
For the chilies
Roast the chilies over an open flame, turning occasionally until the skin is black. Remove and cover with a bowl to allow the chilies to steam for a few minutes to loosen the skins. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the blackened skin. Cut a slit along one side of the poblano chili and carefully snip off the seed head inside each pepper with scissors. Pull any remaining seeds and other fibers from the center of the chili, or leave them in for a little heat.
Sprinkle a little salt inside the cavity of each chili. Carefully (otherwise they will break), place a few spoonfuls of the warm stuffing inside each chili. Try not to leave gaps at the top and bottom, but don’t overfill. Pull together the open seam of the chili and roll it in flour. Once all chilies are prepared, prep the batter.
For the batter
Don’t mix the batter before you are ready to use it as it will deflate. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and beat the egg whites with a little salt until stiff. Add the yolks and continue mixing until incorporated. Don’t over mix as this will also cause deflation.
Batter, fry and serve
In a pot, heat 2-3 inches of oil to fry the chilies. Dip each chili in the batter to coat and immediately transfer to a frying pan.
Fry a couple minutes until the underside is golden brown before turning and browning the other side – not more than a few minutes in total. Transfer each chili to a plate lined with plenty of paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
Serve immediately covered with the salsa verde sauce and a side of Mexican style beans.