Celebrate Mexican Independence at Hacienda Sisal in Cancun this September by trying a signature dish always served during the festivities, Chiles en Nogada (Chilies in Walnut Sauce). You’ll find them on the menu along with many other tempting Mexican dishes.
The time-honored recipe for Chiles en Nogada features poblano chilies with a sweet-savory filling topped with a creamy walnut sauce and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds, coriander and parsley, the colors of the Mexican flag, red, white and green.
A patriotic culinary creation
A sophisticated dish that is a celebration of Mexican bounty, there is a fascinating story behind Chiles en Nogada. History tells that in 1821, General Agustín de Iturbide visited the city of Puebla after signing the Treaty of Córdoba, the agreement that gave Mexico its Independence from Spain. He decided to celebrate his saint’s day in the city: August 28, the day of St Augustine, and the city’s elders held a banquet in his honor. The nuns of Santa Monica Convent were caught up in the fervor of his visit and invented a special dish to commemorate his visit and the birth of a nation, using the colors of the new flag: red, white and green.
Poblano chilies are stuffed with a sweet and savory filling of ground pork and beef, dried fruit (raisins, citron, peach and apple), spices, garlic and onion and topped with a creamy white sauce made from ground walnuts, almonds and sherry. Pomegranate seeds and chopped cilantro and parsley complete the color sequence.
To this day, the inhabitants of Puebla pride themselves on this patriotic dish and every August chefs compete in a contest to prepare the best Chiles en Nogada. Recipes for Chiles en Nogada vary from family to family, some cooks put pears and apple in the stuffing or use citron peel, pineapple, prunes or banana. Some swear by nutmeg, pine nuts and add a dash of rum, while others scorn the use of cream or cheese in the sauce, relying on nuts to create the creamy consistency. The staples, however, are pomegranates and walnuts and these are only in season during late August and September, coinciding with Independence month. And whatever the interpretation, the results are always delicious.
Pozole, another festive dish
A bowl of hearty pozole pork or chicken broth topped with the traditional garnishes of chopped onion, cilantro, lettuce, radishes and crispy tortilla strips is also a good way to celebrate Mexican Independence month at Hacienda Sisal. Pozole is served every Thursday for lunch and dinner.
On the evening of September 15, Independence Night, order a premium tequila, an artisanal mezcal, beer or sotol or the Hacienda Sisal signature margarita and raise your glass to toast Mexico and the Mexican people with “Viva Mexico.”
Book your table at Hacienda Sisal
During your vacation, try some of the brand new dishes on the Hacienda Sisal menu and don’t miss Sunday Brunch. Hacienda Sisal is located next to The Royal Sands in Cancun Hotel Zone. Open daily 2 to 11 p.m. Book your table now.
