CONTENTS INTRODUCTION / PREFACE
04-24
Chapter 01
25–28 29–32 33–36
Sweet Notes_Mole Coloradito
Chapter 01
Sweet Notes_Mole Manchamantel
Chapter 01
Sweet Notes_Mole Chichilo
Chapter 02
41–44 45–48 49–52
Flaming Heat_Mole Pablano
Chapter 02
Flaming Heat_Mole Rojo
Chapter 02
Flaming Heat_Mole Verde
Chapter 03
53–56 61–64 65–68
Drizziling Heat_Mole Amarillo
Chapter 03
Drizziling Heat_Mole Negro
Chapter 03
Drizziling Heat_Tiotitlan Mole Negro
SEVEN WONDERS OF OAXACA There is much to do in Oaxaca, and much to taste. Handsome high-altitude colonial city in the highlands of southcentral Mexico, about 400 miles east of Acapulco and 320 miles south of Mexico City, is the capital of an ancient region, where the rich traditions of the Zapotecs and Mixtecs are jumbled up with the European legacy of the Spanish conquistadors. Archaeological remains, dating back hundreds of years before Christ, ring the city; the famous Zapotec tombs at Monte Alban are six miles to the northwest.
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The city itself is built around a particularly graceful main plaza or zocalo, where Oaxacans start the day over morning coffee and the crusty oval rolls called bolillos in one of the cafes beneath the porticoes and stately laurel trees that line the square. Two dozen churches serve the spiritual needs of the community, and incidentally offer visitors a crash course in both local and colonial architectural styles and art. There are museums of pre-Columbian and modern Mexican art. No.
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Oaxaca is a city, then, a city to explore. It is a city in which to walk and look and feel—until the cobblestones make your feet ache and the buzz of life around you makes you succumb to the aromas of Oaxaca's seductive and sophisticated cooking. You will not find burritos in Oaxaca, of course. You are unlikely to encounter taco, rice, beans combination platters smothered by a sludge of melted yellow cheese. You will find instead a highly developed and complex cuisine. You will find spice and aromatics and flavors of the earth. Most of all, you will find mole, the defining glory of the Oaxacan kitchen.
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Oaxaca is also known as the Land of the Seven Moles, and is where mole,the classic sauce of Mexico, was born. Mole is served to honored guests at weddings, fiestas, and holidays including Cinco de Mayo which means “The Fifth of May” in English. Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of Mexico's stunning victory over the French at a hill on the outskirts of Puebla. The holiday is celebrated throughout Mexico and in many cities in the United States. In the U.S., mole is often perceived as a chocolate flavored chile sauce. The term molze is a derivation from the word molli, which means “concoction” or “mixture.” Other translations include “sauce” and “gravy.” Not all moles contain chocolate, but if there is chocolate in a mole sauce it is probably one of many ingredients. Typical mole may have ten or more ingredients. Some of the more popular mole sauces contain pumpkin seeds, cloves, allspice, peanuts, almonds, and sesame seeds. Additionally chile, chicken, and other poultry broth can be found in a typical mole. There are many moles including mole rojo (red mole), mole de olla (generally contains chocolate), and mole negro de Oaxaca (Oaxacan black mole) to name a few. No.
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The trick to making m balancing the sweetne The culmination of pe berries, and other ing unique flavor to mole compliments meats.
mole sauce is ess and spiceness. eppers, nuts, seeds, gredients bring a sauce that greatly
Basically, mole is a Mexican sauce with complex flavor that makes a great complement to both meat and vegetarian dishes. Similar to BBQ sauce, it can be brushed onto grilled beef, pork or poultry. Although dried chiles are a main ingredient, mole is not necessarily spicy. Rather it is rich, silky and slighty sweet with nuances of smoke, fruit and chocolate. In contemporary Mexico recipes abound for black, red, yellow, green, almond and pepian mole. Ingredients are toasted, ground and mixed for special occasions. The process is elaborate and can take days. The Oaxaca region is famous for the coveted mole negro, or black mole. Rick Bayless, whose mole contributed to his title of Top Chef Master, made his Oaxacan black mole for one of Obama's White House state dinners. His mole had upwards of 20 ingredients and took three days to prepare. For home cooks short on time, simpler versions can produce equally delicious results. See the Scoville chart when choosing dried chiles for your mole. Don't trust “quick� mole recipes which require only half an hour of cooking time. Mole must be simmered for at least two hours, until thick and pungent. But beware: mole is extremely addictive!
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THE C OMMON INGREDIENTS The word mole sounds exciting to eat yet intimidating to prepare. As the root of the word describes, from the náhuatl mulli, mole is a thick sauce or paste that is made by grinding ingredients together in a molcajete or communal mill. A food processor works as well. This sauce can be thinned out with broth or water when ready to use. The Poblano with its long ingredients list and its laborious process, is not the best way to introduce moles. There are some simple moles with no more than 4 or 5 ingredients that are easier to prepare and just as tasty. I tested many ways to find the easiest route to make it without compromising its authenticity and flavor. As long as you prep your ingredients and have them in place before you start throwing them in the pot it’s a manageable task that takes about an half and hour to an hour. As I list the ingredients, we’ll go through some mole basics… Four chiles are typically used: The reddish ancho with bittersweet and fruity flavors; black mulato with much sweeter, chocolaty and fuller tones; the raisin colored pasilla with a deep, strong and bitter bite; and the tobacco looking chipotle smoky, rich and spicy. To be worthy of the name mole, its not enough to be a sauce. You need chiles in there, but adding a Jalapeño doesn’t make it a mole. Some chiles work together and some don’t. Some work for certain kinds of moles sauce and some do not. This group of four, is like the Fantastic Four.Moles show a deep intermarriage between the native Mexican cuisine and that brought from Spain. Three centuries of Colonial life deeply influenced our food. That’s the case of the onion, garlic and many of the nuts, fruits and spices added below.
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01 Main Ingredients Chiles
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02 Basic Ingredients: Condiments
03 Basic Ingredients: Vegetables
04 Basic Ingredients: Thickener
05 Basic Ingredients: Sweetner
Native peanuts and pumpkin seeds which are present as a thickener and flavoring element in many Mexican dishes, add some Mediterranean almonds, a bunch of sweet raisins. The mole Poblano has the deep clean flavors from the white onion, a judicious use of the pungent garlic, the refreshing punch from the tomato and the tartness of the tomatillo. Chile seeds tend to be discarded in many Mexican dishes, but not in this Baroque concoction from the late 1600s. Seeds do store most of the heat from chiles but also a ton of their flavor. Other seeds and spices included take a ride through Mexico’s history: Sesame seeds brought by African slaves; anise seeds, cloves, cinnamon and black peppercorns from the orient routes; allspice from the Caribbean; coriander, thyme and marjoram from the Mediterranean. To thicken the mole and to add an earthy base with a small town flavor, corn tortillas are used. As well as Mexican style bread-bolillos or teleras which are adaptation of the French baguette from the times of Maximilian. To top the balancing act of this dish, and also because it was created by Sor Andrea de la Asunción, a nun with an incredible sweet tooth, Mexican chocolate is added. It is made with toasted cacao, cinnamon, sugar and typically ground almonds, it is sweeter and grainier than regular bittersweet chocolate. Not that much chocolate is added, so the idea that the mole Poblano is a chocolate sauce is a bit exaggerate. Now that we ran through the basic ingredients, let’s cook it.
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Note: The best chocolate to use is Chocolate Ibarra. If you do not have this you can use powdered chocolate. The stronger the taste the better it will be; Adjust the flavor to suit after cooking. It does not matter if it has sugar in it, you can also add sugar after the cooking of the mole sauce recipe if you like.
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CHAPTER 01 // SWEET NOTES
5
SERVES
01 MOLE COLORADITO
2 HR SWEET & SAVORY
COOK TIME
H E AT L E V E L 1
Mole coloradito’s name—which means “reddish” or “a little red”—refers to its hue. Its base of chilcostle, guajillo, and ancho chilies lends a moderate heat, with tomato, garlic, cinnamon, clove, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and sesame rounding out the team. Bread, chocolate, and nuts are all unusual but acceptable additions to the mix.
Recommended Meat
INGREDIENTS Meat Chiles
Produce
1 1/2 of chicken (41/2 oz) 2 Chilcostle chiles 18 Ancho chiles (9 oz) 21 Guajillos chiles (about 41/2 oz) 2 small heads garlic 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 pinches dried 2 whole cloves 6 black peppercorns 2 large onions small head of garlic, cloves separated 1 small white onion 2 medium-large tomatoes Oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried 1/ 2 ripe plantain, sliced 4 celery ribs with leaves 4 carrots, thickly sliced 1/ 2
Condiments
1 tablespoon raisins 2 whole allspice 2 tablespoons salt 2 black peppercorns 1 whole allspice 1 piece of Mexican cinnamon cup sesame seeds 5 whole, unpeeled almonds 2 bars Mexican chocolate (3 oz) 1/ 2
Thickener
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/ 2
bolillo or French roll, sliced
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Oils
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CHAPTER 01 // SWEET NOTES
01 MOLE COLORADITO // PREPERATION
P R E P E R AT I O N
STEP ONE In a heavy 7 quart stockpot, heat 6 quarts
water and the seasoning ingredients to a boil. Add the chicken pieces and lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook the chicken for about 35 to 45 minutes or until the meat is tender and the juices run clear when the dark meat is pierced with a fork. Remove the chicken, strain, and reserve the stock. STEP TWO Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. On a 10
inch dry comal, or in a cast-iron frying pan over low heat. Toast the chiles on both sides for about 10 minutes, toasting the chiles anchos a bit slower and longer than the chiles guajillos because of their thicker skins. Toast them on both sides until their skins start to blister and they give off their aroma. Remove the chiles from the comal or pan, place them in a medium bowl, and cover with the hot water. Soak the chiles for 20 minutes, turning to soften them. Puree in a blender, using as little of the chile water as possible, about 1 cup. Pass the puree through a sieve or food mill to remove the skins. STEP THREE On the comal, toast the peppercorns,
cloves, allspice, and cinnamon stick. Quickly grill the garlic and onion, turning them often until they become translucent. Cool them, then puree the spices, onion, and garlic in a blender with 1/2 cup of the reserved stock. Set aside.In an 8-inch cast-iron frying pan over medium heat, cook tomato pieces and marjoram or oregano with no oil until condensed, 10 to 15 minutes. First they will give off their juices, then they will dry out. Puree the tomato mixture in a blender then pass the mixture through a sieve or food mill.
STEP FOUR In a medium frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat and fry the plantain and bread slices until brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from the pan. Add more oil (if needed) and fry the raisins until they are plump, about 3 minutes. Remove them from the pan. Fry the almonds until light brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the pan. Place the plantain, bolillo, raisins, and almonds in a blender with 1 1/2 cups of the reserved broth and blend until smooth. Wipe out the frying pan and put over low heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and the sesame seeds and fry until brown, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool the seeds and grind in a molcajete or spice grinder. STEP FIVE In a heavy 6 quart stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon of lard over high heat until smoking. Add the chile puree a little at a time, stirring constantly. It will splatter about a bit, but keep stirring. Lower heat to medium and after about 20 minutes, or when chile puree is thick, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, about 15 minutes, stirring to keep the mole from sticking or burning. Add the onion and ground spice mixture and stir well. Add the pureed plantain mixture and ground sesame seeds, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes. Add 41/2 to 5 cups of the reserved broth to thin the sauce, then add the chocolate, stirring constantly. When the chocolate dissolves, add the salt. Let it cook down for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The more time it has to cook, the better. STEP SIX Return the chicken pieces to the broth and heat through. Add more broth to the mole if needed. The mole should be thick enough to just coat a spoon, no more. Place a piece of chicken on a serving plate and ladle a large spoonful of mole on top. It should completely cover the meat. Serve with corn tortillas.
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CHAPTER 01 // SWEET NOTES
6
SERVES
1 HR
COOK TIME
03 MOLE CHICHILO
SMOKEY & MILD H E AT L E V E L 3
Mole chichilo is one of the seven famous mole recipes from Oaxaca, the region of Mexico most renowned for its mastery of these complex sauces. Chichilo is characterised by a delicate anise flavour from the inclusion of avocado leaves, and the remarkable flavour of the chilhuacle chillies.
Recommended Meat
INGREDIENTS Meat Chiles Produce
2lb skinless chicken, cut large pieces 6 pasilla chillies 6 chilhuacle chillies 1 white onion, halved garlic bulb, plus 4 peeled garlic cloves salt 1 litre (4 cups) water 2 cups small red potatoes, halved 1 medium choko, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1 cm slices 1 cup green beans, trimmed 5 tomatillos 3 avocado leaves 1/ 2 tsp mixed dried aromatic herbs (such as marjoram, thyme, oregano) 1/ 2 tsp cumin seeds 1 allspice 1 clove 1 cup fresh corn masa, crumbled 1/ 2
Oils & Liquid
4 corn tortillas 2 tbsp pork lard or vegetable oil
HEAT
Thickener
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CHAPTER 01 // SWEET NOTES
03 MOLE CHICHILO // PREPERATION
P R E P E R AT I O N STEP ONE In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the chicken, half the onion, garlic bulb, 1 tsp salt and the water to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Set aside chicken and broth.
Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with water and heat over medium until boiling. Add the potato, choko and green beans and cook until tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove as each vegetable is cooked, discarding the water when finished. Set aside. STEP TWO Clean the pasilla and chilhuacle chillies by
wiping with a damp cloth to remove any dust. Pull off the stems and tear a slit down the length of each chilli. Open the chillies, scrape out and reserve all the seeds. Pull out and discard the veins. Heat a comal or heavy frying pan on medium heat until hot. Place the opened chillies on the hot pan and toast lightly on both sides for 30 seconds each or until you observe a slight colour change. As they are done, transfer them to a bowl. Pour in enough hot water to cover. Soak for 5 minutes or until they become soft and flexible. Drain, discarding the soaking liquid. Transfer to a blender with some of the chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Set aside the chilli puree. STEP THREE On the same hot pan, toast the chilli seeds for about 5–7 minutes or until black. Set aside in a medium bowl. Next, toast the tortillas for about 5–7 minutes or until completely blackened. Break into pieces and add to the bowl. Place the tomatillos, garlic cloves and remaining onion on the hot comal. Roast for about 7–9 minutes or until almost completely charred. As each are done, set aside in the bowl.
Turn off the heat under the comal and add the avocado leaves, dried herbs, cumin seeds, allspice and clove on the hot comal. Heat for 1 minute or until fragrant. Set aside the avocado leaves separately. Place remaining spices in the bowl with the tomatillos. Transfer the tomatillo mixture to a blender and add some chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Set aside the tomatillo puree. STEP FOUR Place the corn masa into the blender and
add some chicken broth. Blend until pureed. Set the blender aside. STEP FIVE In a 4-litre heavy-based saucepan over me-
dium, heat the pork lard or oil until it starts to smoke. Pour in the chilli puree and tomatillo puree. Increase heat to high. Add the masa puree by pouring it through a fine-mesh sieve into the hot puree. Whisk until incorporated. Add the avocado leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the consistency is like a cream sauce. If necessary, adjust the consistency with chicken broth or water. Season to taste with salt. Heat until the oil rises to the top. To serve, ladle onto serving plates. Add the vegetables and chicken. Drizzle over more sauce.
Notes • Oven temperatures are for conventional;
if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
• Masa harina and dried chillies are available
from Mexican grocers. If fresh masa in unavailable, use prepare masa from dried masa harina (for tortillas) by following the instructions on the product.
• Chilhuacle chilli is a specialty of Oaxaca and
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quite difficult to find outside of the region, so if a chilli must be substituted, the guajillo is best choice.
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The best known of Oaxaca's moles is mole negro, which is darker than mole poblano and just as thick and rich. It also includes chocolate, as well as chili peppers, onions, garlic and more, but what makes it distinct is the addition of a plant called hoja santa. It is the most complex and difficult to make of the sauces.
CHAPTER 03 // DRIZZILING HEAT
12
SERVES
4 HR
COOK TIME
08 MOLE NEGRO
SPICY & BITTER H E AT L E V E L 4
Usually reserved for special occasions, mole negro is the most complex member of the mole family. It is known for its inclusion of chocolate, but its distinctive ebony shade comes from a deep, careful charring of the ingredients.
Recommended Meat
INGREDIENTS Meat Chiles
2–3lb chickens, cut into 12 pieces 5 chilhuacles negros 5 guajillos, seeded and deveined 4 pasillas Mexicanos, seeded and deveined; seeds reserved 4 anchos negros 2 chipotles mecos
Produce
4 large onions, chopped, plus 1 medium onion, quartered 8 ribs celery, chopped 8 carrots, chopped 1 small ripe plantain, sliced pound chopped tomatoes pound chopped tomatillos 1 sprig thyme, or 1/2 tsp. dried 1 sprig Oaxacan oregano, or 1/2 tsp. dried 1 avocado leaf 1/ 2 1/ 4
Oils & Liquid Thickener
head garlic, cloves separated 2 tablespoons whole almonds 2 pecan halves 2 tablespoons shelled and skinned raw peanuts 1 (1-inch) piece Mexican cinnamon 3 black peppercorns 3 whole cloves 1 1/2 tablespoons raisins 1/2 cup sesame seeds 4 1/2 ounces Mexican chocolate Salt, to taste 1/ 2
3 tablespoons sunflower oil 2 tablespoons lard 1 slice egg-dough bread
HEAT
Condiments / Spice
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CHAPTER 03 // DRIZZILING HEAT
08 MOLE NEGRO // PREPERATION
P R E P E R AT I O N STEP ONE In a 2 gallon stockpot, heat 5 quarts water
STEP FIVE Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in an 8-inch
and onions, celery, and carrots to a boil. Add chicken pieces and poach, covered, over low heat for about 40 minutes, until cooked through and juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Remove the meat from the stock. Strain and reserve the stock.
cast-iron frying pan over medium heat until smoking. Add the raisins and fry them until they are plump, approximately 1 minute. Remove from the pan. Fry the bread slice in the same oil until browned, about 5 minutes, over medium heat. Remove from pan. Fry the plantain in the same oil until it is well browned, approximately 10 minutes, over medium heat. Set aside. Fry the sesame seeds, stirring constantly over low heat, adding more oil if needed. When the sesame seeds start to brown, about 5 minutes, add the pecans and brown for 2 minutes more. Remove all from the pan, let cool, and grind finely in a spice grinder. It takes a bit of time, but this is the only way to grind the seeds and nuts finely enough.
STEP TWO Heat 2 quarts of water in a kettle. On a
10-inch dry comal, griddle, or in a cast-iron frying pan, toast the chiles over medium heat until blackened, but not burnt, about 10 minutes. Place the chiles in a large bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 1/2 hour. Remove the chiles from the soaking water with tongs, placing small batches in a blender with 1/4 cup of the chile soaking water to blend smooth. Put the chile puree through a strainer to remove the skins. STEP THREE In the same dry comal, griddle, or frying
pan, grill the onion and garlic over medium heat for 10 minutes. Set aside. Toast the almonds, peanuts, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and cloves in a dry comal, griddle or cast-iron frying pan for about 5 minutes. Remove them from the pan. STEP FOUR Over the same heat, toast the chile seeds,
taking care to blacken but not burn them, about 20 minutes. Try to do this outside or in a well-ventilated place because the seeds will give off very strong fumes. When the seeds are completely black, light them with a match and let them burn themselves out. Remove from the heat and place in a bowl. Soak the blackened seeds in 1 cup of cold water for 10 minutes. Drain the seeds and grind them in a blender for about 2 minutes. Add the blended chile seeds to the blended chile mixture.
STEP SIX Wipe out the frying pan and fry the fresh tomatoes, tomatillos, thyme, and oregano over medium to high heat, allowing the juices to almost evaporate, about 15 minutes. Blend well, using 1/2 cup of reserved stock if needed to blend and set aside. Place the nuts, bread, plantains, raisins, onion, garlic and spices in the blender in small batches, and blend well, adding about 1 cup of stock to make it smooth. STEP SEVEN In a heavy 4-quart stockpot, heat 2
tablespoons of lard or oil until smoking and fry the chile pasteover medium to low heat, stirring constantly so it will not burn, approximately 20 minutes. When it is dry add the tomato puree and fry until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add the ground ingredients, including the sesame seed paste, to the pot. Stir constantly with a wooden soon until wellincorporated, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken
stock to the mole, stir well, and allow to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Break up the chocolate and add to the pot, stirring until it is melted and incorporated into the mixture. STEP EIGHT Toast the avocado leaf briefly over
the flame if you have a gas range or in a dry frying pan and then add it to the pot. Slowly add more stock to the mole, as it will keep thickening as it cooks. Add enough salt to bring out the flavor. Simmer another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not stick, adding stock as needed. The mole should not be thick; just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Place the cooked chicken pieces in the leftover stock in a saucepan and heat through. To serve, place a piece of chicken in a shallow bowl and ladle 3/4 of a cup of mole sauce over to cover it.
HEAT
Serve immediately with lots of hot corn tortillas.
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CHAPTER 03 // DRIZZILING HEAT
12
SERVES
09 TEOTITLAN MOLE NEGRO
4 HR
COOK TIME
FIERY & ZESTY HE AT LEVEL 4
Usually reserved for special occasions, mole negro is the most complex member of the mole family. It is known for its inclusion of chocolate, but its distinctive ebony shade comes from a deep, careful charring of the ingredients.
Recommended Meat
INGREDIENTS Meat Chiles
Produce
2 to 4 cups homemade chicken stock 4 ounces ancho chiles 4 ounces guajillo chiles 1 large or 2 medium unpeeled onions 4 unpeeled garlic cloves 1 large ripe tomato 4 ounces tomatillos, with husks bunch or 1 small bunch thyme (about 2 dozen sprigs), or 2 teaspoons dried, crumbled 1/4 cup dried Oaxacan oregano or 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled 1/ 2
Condiments / Spice
cup (about 3 ounces) sesame seeds cup pecan meats 1/ 4 cup blanched almonds One 6-inch piece canela 1/ 4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced 1 cup dark raisins 16 whole cloves 14 allspice berries 2/ 3 1/ 3
Thickener
7 tablespoons lard 1 thick slice day-old brioche or challah
HEAT
Oils
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CHAPTER 03 // DRIZZILING HEAT
09 TEOTITLAN MOLE NEGRO // PREPERATION
P R E P E R AT I O N STEP ONE The day before beginning the sauce,
remove the stems and tops from the chiles; carefully shake out and reserve the seeds. Rinse the chiles under cold running water. Spread them out in a single layer where they can dry completely. Let stand until the following day, turning occasionally and checking to be sure not a drop of moisture remains. Crush the bread to fine crumbs or grind in a food processor. You should have about 1 cup. Set aside. STEP TWO Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread the dried
chiles in one layer on a baking sheet. Toast them in the oven, turning frequently, until crisp and deeply blackened, about 20 minutes. Let the chiles stand at room temperature until completely cooled. Spread the pecans and almonds on a baking sheet. Toast them in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Next, place the crisp toasted chiles in a food processor and process until finely ground. Set aside. STEP THREE On a griddle or in a small cast-iron
skillet, heat the reserved chile seeds over high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until thoroughly charred and black on all sides, about 5 minutes. You can speed the process by sprinkling a few drops of vegetable oil over the seeds and igniting with a match, standing well back from the flame and taking care to shield your face, clothing, and hair. Place the charred seeds in a bowl, cover with at least 2 cups cold water, and soak for 1 1/2 hours, changing the water twice. Drain and set aside. STEP FOUR Heat a griddle or medium-size cast-iron
skillet over low heat. If using 1 large onion, cut it in half crosswise (leaving the skin on). Place the onion,
individual unpeeled garlic cloves, tomato (stem side down), and tomatillos (in the husks) on the griddle. Cook, turning frequently. The onion and garlic are done when they are somewhat softened, about 8 minutes for the garlic and 20 to 25 minutes for the onion. The tomato is done when the skin is blackened and blistered all over, about 15 to 20 minutes. The tomatillos are done when they are lightly softened all over, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove each kind of vegetable as it is done and set it aside in a separate small bowl. STEP FIVE When the vegetables are cool enough to
handle, remove the husks from the tomatillos and peel the rest, making sure to save the juices. If using a large onion cut in half, scrape the black bits off the cut side. Place the sesame seeds in a medium-size heavy skillet over medium heat and toast just until golden (about 3 minutes), stirring constantly and shaking the pan. Immediately scrape out the seeds into a small bowl to stop the cooking. Set aside. STEP SIX In a small, heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon lard over medium-high heat until rippling. Add the canela, thyme, oregano, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and ginger. Fry the spices, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set aside. In a small skillet, heat another 2 tablespoons lard over medium heat until rippling. Add the raisins and bread crumbs; cook, stirring, until the raisins are puffed and the bread is lightly colored, about 2 minutes. Set aside. STEP SEVEN Now you are ready to purĂŠe all the ingredients, using either a blender/food processor combination or a blender alone.
If using both machines, place the pecans, almonds, sesame seeds, bread-raisin mixture, ground chiles, and drained chile seeds in the food processor (working in batches as necessary). Process to a smooth purée. Next, place the fried spices, peeled garlic, onion, tomatoes, and tomatillos in the blender and process to a smooth purée. Combine the two mixtures in a large bowl. If using only a blender, line up all the prepared ingredients next to the machine on the counter, place some of each in the blender container, add a few tablespoons chicken stock, and process until smooth, adding more stock as necessary to facilitate blending. (This method requires great patience; small batches will be well puréed in 1 to 2 minutes while large ones may retain coarse bits of the spices. If thoroughly processed, the mixture will not require sieving, so try not to rush things.) Pour each batch into a bowl as it is done and proceed with the next batch.
HEAT
In a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons lard over high heat until rippling. Add the purée, all at once, watching for splatters, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, until the harshness of the chiles is mellowed, 35 to 40 minutes. The mole should now be a heavy paste like a thick frosting mixture.
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INDEX A
Ancho Chile Asparagus
B
Pg. 06 Pg. 17, 24, 34, 25
Basics Cooking Baked beans Beef Bread Breakfast Enchiladas
Pg. 06 Pg. 17, 24, 34, 25 Pg. 22, 56 Pg. 08–05, 15 Pg. 32
Cheese Ancho Chile Abor Chile Mulato Chile Poblano Chile Guajillo Chicken Chocolate
Pg. 06 Pg. 17, 24, 34, 25 Pg. 22, 56 Pg. 08–05, 15 Pg. 32 Pg. 06 Pg. 17, 24, 34, 25 Pg. 22, 56
C
D
Dark Chocolate Dinner Dip Dish
E
Eggs Breakfast Enchiladas Equipments
F
Fruits Fried plantains Fried tortillas
G
Garlic Ancho Chile
Pg. 06 Pg. 17, 24, 34, 25 Pg. 22, 56 Pg. 08–05, 15
Pg. 06 Pg. 17, 24, 34, 25 Pg. 22, 56
Pg. 26 Pg. 34, 25 Pg. 42, 76
Pg. 36–63 Pg. 05-24, 63
H
How to Tips Honey Whole cloves
I
Ibarra Ingredients
M
Making Meat Moles manchamantel Mushrooms
Pg. 08 Pg. 54 Pg.44
Pg. 06 Pg. 06, 22-34, 56
Pg. 60 Pg. 09, 36-70 Pg. 72 Pg. 26
COLOPHON TYPEFACE / KNOCKOUT & Sentinel KNOCKOUT FEATURES
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mon construction, included as alternates to the familiar lining figures, help give Sentinel its warmth and steadiness. Designed by: Jonathan Hoefler, Tobias Frere-Jones
THINK OF SPICES LIKE A CHOIR OF VOICES...
ALL THE DIFFERENT VOICES COME TOGETHER HARMONIOUSLY, AND NONE OF THEM CALL ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES. THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER.
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