CLEVELAND, Ohio – In the early 2020s, during a food tour in Phoenix, I stepped outside the familiar and ordered chiles en nogada at the now-closed Barrio Café. I had no idea what to expect from this Mexican – not to be confused with Tex-Mex – restaurant.
Curiosity paid off. The dish was so memorable that I coveted Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza’s recipe. But the chef wasn’t interested in sharing it with me. I mentioned that in a travel story and a year later a reader sent me a link to the recipe on the Food Network’s website.
Since receiving it, I’ve made it a half-dozen times, mostly for special occasions. I’d make it more often, but it has many steps and requires more time than I usually have for cooking…