Chile Chontal

Root of flavor

Portions

Preparation

2 hours

Cooking time

1 hour

Chile Chontal is born

In 2023, the state of Tabasco was invited to the first International Festival of Chile in Nogada held at the World Trade Center in Mexico City. The invitation came from the festival organizer, international chef Jorge Orozco, widely recognized as the Ambassador of Pre-Hispanic Food, with more than a decade dedicated to the research and rescue of ancestral recipes. During the participation of chef Orozco in the 11th Chocolate Festival, he realized the interest of Tabasco for the gastronomic innovation related to cocoa and chocolate, so he put on the table a great challenge: create a version of the chili en nogada, but tabasqueño, with local ingredients, thus meeting the fourth dimension of the festival, gastronomy. Then came the next challenge, which chef would carry out this great project. After analyzing and searching the gastronomic environment of Tabasco and Mexico, the secretary of tourism of the entity, found in the chef Alfonso Castañeda, recognized for his recipes of traditional cuisine, the ideal person for this challenge, a Nogada Tabasqueño chili with ingredients from the region such as buffalo meat and cheese, regional sweets and fruits, cocoa and chocolate, thus giving birth to the 'Chontal Chile'.

Ingredients

3 kilograms. peeled poblano chili
2 kg. ground buffalo rib eye
½ kg. ground pork leg
100 gr. pork lard
½ white onion
200 gr. garlic
½ kg. chopped tomato
½ kg. “monkey ear candy”
½ kg “papaya candy”
½ kg “pineapple candy”
4 fried plantains, chopped
100 gr. sliced almonds
100 gr. capers
50 gr. allspice
Fine salt as needed

100 ml. semi-dry white wine
300 gr. blueberries
50 gr. cinnamon
200 gr. sugar
½ kg. candied cocoa nibs
1 kg. smoked provolone
1 kg. mozzarella cheese
300 gr. double cream cheese
300 gr. goat cheese
½ kg. 70% chocolate
200 gr. cashews
½ cup honey
2 Dragon fruits
2 Star fruits
Flowers for decoration

Preparation

Step 1: Filling

l. In a large skillet, heat the butter pork and add the finely chopped onion and garlic. Sauté until golden and fragrant.

2. Add the Buffalo Rib Eye, pork leg and cook until well done.

3. Add the chopped tomato, season with a pinch of fine salt and some of the ground allspice. Wait for the tomato to cook (thicken).

Step 2: Adding fruits, sweets, nuts and capers

1. Add the monkey ear candy, papaya and banana, as well as the chopped pineapple to the meat mixture. Stir to combine the flavors.

2. Add the sliced almonds and continue stirring so that the flavors are fully integrated. Add the capers.

3. Pour wine into the mixture and stir well to enhance flavors.

Step 3: Final touch of flavor

1. Add the cinnamon to the filling and mix so that all the ingredients come together.

2. Add the rest of the ground allspice and add salt to taste. Stir until you have a uniform and tasty mixture.

Step 4: Adjust the texture and final seasoning

1. Gently add the blueberries to the filling; these will add a touch of freshness and a unique flavor contrast

2. Add the cinnamon and stir carefully so that all the ingredients mix harmoniously

Step 5: Fill the chiles

1. Carefully fill each poblano chile. Make sure not to break the chiles during the process.

Step 6: Cheese, walnut and chocolate sauce

1. Blend the cheeses, cashews and chocolate, if necessary you can add sour cream

2. Adjust the sweetness with honey.

Step 7: Serving and assembly

1. Place each stuffed chile on a plate

2. Cover with cheese sauce

3. Sprinkle with cocoa nibs

4. Decorate with a couple of flowers

5. Place a half moon of dragon fruit and a slice of star fruit on the chile's head