Mexican mole

| | | | | | |

Mexican Mole

The Basic Ingredients of Mole (A Start, Anyway)

The Way of Mole

This all began with a local search for authentic Mexican food as we approached the not-so-authentic margaritafest known as Cinco de Mayo. Bottom line: Get out the food processor and try a mole (MOW-lay) yourself.

A little research about mole reveals a delicious legend (even if it’s not true, it’s fun to imagine). When a nun in 17th-century Mexico was preparing to entertain visiting dignitaries from Spain, she gathered the ingredients to recreate a complex sauce that might have had Old World roots, but with decidedly New World influences — chiles, cocoa, spices, dried fruits and seeds.

The dish of meat stewed in this rich sauce was reportedly named from the Nahuatal word molli or mulli, meaning “concoction or sauce.” There is a bit of controversy in the food historian world over its Mexican v. Mediterranean roots, in a sort of “chicken or the egg” way. If you feel like reading a fun little debate, check out this link to food historian Rachel Laudan’s blog.

Chiles and Tomatillos

Anyway, mole stuck, and now is one of the most famous dishes of Mexico, virtually a food group unto itself. There are more regional variations than there are barbecued pork, chili and jello salad recipes across the U.S. The fabled Seven Moles of Oaxaca run the gamut from a green tomatillo mole to a black mole (Mole Negro), to a hot red mole, to a yellow…and on and on. Mole recipes are very personal and complex. But they hold to a few basic principles.

Ingredients:

Chiles. Dried, fresh. You’ll see all flavors: ancho, guajillo, pasilla, chipotle.
Raisins or dried fruits such as prunes for sweetness. Sometimes just sugar.
Bread, sweet roll, corn masa or tortillas. Torn up, sometimes fried, and pulverized to thicken the sauce.
Spices, herbs, onion, garlic. Could include coriander, cilantro, Mexican herbs including oregano, epazote and hota santa. Available sometimes fresh at your Latin market.
Fruits/vegetables. Tomatoes or tomatillos, plantains.
Nuts and seeds. Almonds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, sesame seeds. I've even used pistachios.
Broth. Often made from the meats being stewed.
Fats. Lard or oil.
And in some moles, chocolate or unsweetened cocoa for depth. Some recipes call for Mexican chocolate drink tablets, available at many stores.

Fresh Tomatoes for Mole Coloradito

Technique:

Nearly all recipes start with creating a blend of peppers in a broth and straining. Then begins the process of toasting and pureeing the various ingredients into a fine paste, frying the paste in fat, and finishing the meat in the sauce. An oversimplification? Yes. Recipes can go into pages and pages, but with a little studying, you can see where there's room for lots of personalization.

In addition, nearly every mole description mentions how long it takes to make, but how “worth it” the effort is. And indeed, it’s fun to try. Makes a great Sunday afternoon experiment. For some sample recipes, click here for a Mole Negro from Saveur Magazine and another for Mole Coloradito from the queen of authentic Mexican recipes for the U.S., Diana Kennedy.

For the Curious but Cautious, Mole Paste

And below, find an example of a recipe for Mole Coloradito that’s not too difficult from www.fiery-foods.com. And if you really want to try the mole flavor without the effort, your local Latino market might have a mole base in the fridge section -- just add broth. Have fun!

Mole Coloradito

This brick-red mole, courtesy of Restaurante El Naranjo, is made with chile ancho, sesame seeds and almonds.

10 ancho chiles
1 pasilla chile
4 large roma tomatoes
4 medium cloves garlic, unpeeled
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 slices day-old bread
15 blanched almonds
1/3 cup sesame seeds
10 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (preferably Oaxacan)
3 whole cloves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 piece Mexican cinnamon (approximately 1 inch)
Salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
8 pieces of chicken or pork
1/2 medium white onion
3 garlic cloves
Salt

1. Clean the chiles with a damp cloth, then discard the seeds and stems. Roast lightly on a hot skillet/griddle. Transfer to a pot with hot water, and let them soak for 20 minutes

2. In a separate skillet, dry-roast the tomatoes and the unpeeled garlic cloves.

3. Add 3 tablespoons oil (or lard) to a skillet and fry the bread until pale gold. Add the blanched almonds, sesame seeds, oregano, black peppercorns and cloves. Reserve.

4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a big pot, blend the chiles with enough fresh water, and add to the pot. Let it fry for about 8 to 10 minutes. Blend the reserved nuts and spices along with the tomatoes, garlic, and enough water. Add to the cooking pot.

5. Blend the cinnamon with a little water and pass through a sieve (or cotton cheesecloth) over the mole. Simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.

6. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Let cook for 15 minutes, then add salt and sugar to taste. The mole should cover the back of a spoon.

7. Add boiled chicken (see below), let simmer for 10 minutes, and serve with rice and tortillas.

8. To cook the chicken: Bring 2 quarts water to a boil, add 1/2 onion, 3 cloves garlic and salt. When boiling, add the chicken pieces, reduce heat and let it simmer until the meat is done.

Yield: 6 servings Heat Scale: Medium