{"id":735,"date":"2012-04-26T08:43:52","date_gmt":"2012-04-26T14:43:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/realfoodchronicles.maoomba.com\/?p=735"},"modified":"2016-04-23T19:49:18","modified_gmt":"2016-04-24T01:49:18","slug":"reinventing-chiles-en-nogada-soup-style","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/reinventing-chiles-en-nogada-soup-style\/","title":{"rendered":"Reinventing Chiles en Nogada Soup-Style"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"chilesDeconstruct: <\/em><\/strong> To break something down into its component parts.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For a recipe, this means looking at the recipe and determining the essential ingredients \u2013 the ones that make the dish unique, satisfying, and flavorful.<\/p>\n

Deconstruction is one of my favorite ways to reinvent a dish when I want to experience its flavors AND tailor the ingredients to my needs and the preparation to my mood and the time I have available to cook.<\/p>\n

The question is what dishes are worth deconstructing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

How to Choose a Dish to Deconstruct<\/h3>\n

In my opinion, the dishes that are best to deconstruct are the ones that involve a fairly complex process, have amazing flavors and distinct ingredients, and may include ingredients that you can\u2019t or won\u2019t eat (but which can easily be removed or substituted).<\/p>\n

One dish that I think is worthy of deconstruction is Chiles en Nogada, a traditional Mexican dish from Puebla. It is basically chile peppers stuffed with minced meat, spices \u2013 including cinnamon, and fruit and then covered with walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds.<\/p>\n

The flavor combination may sound odd, but it is amazing and the reason I try to deconstruct it! It\u2019s also gorgeous. The colors of the ingredients reflect those of the Mexican flag: red, green, and white:<\/p>\n

\"Chiles
Chiles En Nogada By La Villa Bonita Mexican Culinary Vacation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I love the dish, but it takes quite a bit of time to make it. So, I break it down.<\/p>\n

First, as a type of breakfast hash<\/a>. And now, as a soup.<\/p>\n

How I Deconstructed this Recipe<\/h3>\n

Whenever I want to deconstruct a recipe, I look at its core components and try to identify essential ingredients to leave in versus superfluous ingredients that I can leave out, as well possible substitutions for the ingredients that should be there but which I can\u2019t eat. I also try to figure out the easiest way to prepare the dish \u2013 or some variation of it \u2013 without hurting the dish or its presentation.<\/p>\n

Essentials: <\/strong><\/p>\n