We were taught how to make Chilis with Plantain Stuffing and Molé in a cooking class we took at the Banyan Tree Mayakoba in Mexico. We immediately fell in love with the flavors and textures of this dish.

 

As soon as we returned home from our trip, I did my best to recreate it without the luxury of a written recipe. After a little trial and error, I got it to our liking. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

 

¼ cup butter + 2 Tbsp

½ cup red onion, minced

1 tsp garlic, minced

¼ cup tomato paste

½ cup almonds, toasted and finely chopped

3 Tbsp ancho chili powder or regular chili powder 

1 Tbsp dried oregano

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp cinnamon, divided

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cumin 

1 cup chicken stock

⅓ cup olive oil

2 plantains, chopped

⅓ cup raisins, chopped 

⅓ cup dried apricots, chopped

⅓ cup raw almonds, chopped

¼ cup pepitas 

2 Tbsp brown sugar 

4 large poblano chilis

½ cup sour cream

Edible flowers, optional

 

In a large skillet on medium heat, melt the ¼ cup butter. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened. Add tomato paste, almonds, chili powder, oregano, cocoa powder, ½ tsp cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cumin, stir to combine. Add ½ cup stock and simmer for 5 minutes. If needed, add another ¼ or ½ cup of stock. The texture should be semi-thick. Remove the molé from the heat. Place the molé in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the molé back into the skillet and keep warm. 

 

In a large skillet, heat the oil and the remaining 2 Tbsp butter on medium heat. Add the plantains and mash them in the pan using the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Continue mashing and stirring until they are soft and in small chunks. Next, add the raisins, apricots, raw almonds, pepitas, ½ tsp cinnamon, and brown sugar. Stir to combine. If it gets too dry, you can add a little more oil or butter. Turn the heat to low and continue cooking and stirring for five minutes. Remove the stuffing from the heat. 

 

Roast the chilis over the flame of a gas stove or a barbecue. Use tongs to set the chilis directly on the flame of the stove or the grill and roast them on all sides until the skins have turned completely black. Remove the chilis from the heat and place them in a paper bag. Close the bag and let them cool for ten minutes. Once they are cool, remove all the blackened skins from the chilis. Make a slit lengthwise down each of the chilis, making sure not to cut them in half. Scoop out the veins and seeds. 

 

Once all the chilis are skinned and cleaned, stuff each chili with the stuffing. Spoon a portion of the molé on plates or in shallow bowls. Set the stuffed chilis on the molé and drizzle the tops with sour cream. If your sour cream is thick, you can add a little water to it to thin it down. Garnish with edible flowers and serve. 

 

Just Salt It, and enjoy!