Chiles en Nogada

This is my favorite thing to eat. We eat this for special occasions like Independence Day—it has GREEN chile, WHITE sauce, and RED pomegranate, which are the colors of the Mexican flag. My mother makes this dish for me; I love it, and I love her.

• 6 large green chiles, for stuffing
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound ground pork of beef
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 onion, peeled and diced
• 1 apple, peeled, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted almonds, chopped
• 2 tablespoons raisins, softened in warm water
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 eggs, separated
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup crema or sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 1 pomegranate, seeds separated
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Roast the chiles and remove the skins and seeds. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the port or beef and brown until nearly done. Add the garlic, onion, apple, almonds, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes. Stuff the chiles with equal portions of the stuffing. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold in the egg yolks and a pinch of salt. Dip each stuffed chile in the egg mixture and fry until golden brown. In a medium bowl, mix the crema, walnuts, sugar, and evaporated milk. Pour over the freshly cooked chiles and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and parsley. Makes 6 servings.

Amado Daruich Valle del Sol Ward Valsequillo Stake Puebla, Coahuila Mexico

Excerpted from the Worldwide Ward Cookbook: Mom's Best Recipes. Click here to buy.