i like to describe mole (pronounced mohleh not mohlay) as a main dish sauce because the sauce is the dish. In pre-Hispanic times moles were served with great ceremony. According to various accounts , the mole was presented in a bowl with no handles on one hand, while plain tamales or tortillas were held in the other. There was a time when practically all, or most people anyway, referred to mole as the “chocolate sauce.” Now Mexican food lovers know that a mole is simply, or complexely, a pureed sauce with the key ingredients being a thickener of some kind, be it nuts, seeds, bread, cookies,, corn masa or dough among others and chile either fresh green chiles usually roasted according to the directions here, or dried and prepared as explained on this video The also usually contain aromatics like garlic and onions, usually roasted on a griddle according to the directions on this video or and herbs and/or spices.
Canela (Ceylon soft stick cinnamon) is the most popular spice and is now widely available in supermarkets in the form of sticks that you will grind to order (I grind all my spices as I need them and have a dedicated coffee grinder for that purpose.) Another commonly used but not as easily found herb are avocado leaves. Tarragon would be an acceptable substitute,
Photo by Laurie Smith www.lauriesmithphoto.com
Mole Amarillo
Thick Yellow Mole
This is one of the seven major Oaxacan moles. There are two main kinds, each with infinite variations. (If you ask ten Oaxacan cooks about mole amarillo, you will probably get 10 quite different recipes and also realize that no one bothers to use the full name — the informal “amarillo” is enough.) One type, a dense, silky mole like a thick tomato sauce, usually functions as a filling. The other is thinned to any consistency between a heavy batter and a soup, and serves as the basis of stews and braised meat dishes. Actually, amarillo is not the only mole to be made with a lot of gradations between thick and thin. As you work with all these sauces I hope you will learn to experiment with consistency — Oaxacan cooks usually start with a thick paste as the basis of a mole and thin it more or less, depending on the purpose.
The sauce won’t really be yellow. It comes out more of an orange shade and then the green tomato dilutes the color a little. It is light, tart and refreshing. In contrast to some of the very rich and intense moles given later in the chapter. The chile amarillo or chilcosle give a yellower color and were once common in this dish. But today I find most people using the fleshier, darker guajillos.
My amarillo is based on a recipe from María de los Angeles Lagunas. I like it because all the ingredients are readily available in the United States; also, the sauce has very little fat. The thick version is my favorite. But I follow it with a thin alternative in order to show the ways Oaxacan cooks work with a sauce.
3 guajillo chiles or use hot New Mexico dried red chiles, tops and seeds removed
1 ancho chile, tops and seeds removed
3 large tomatillos, with husks
1 large, hard green tomato
1 small onion, unpeeled
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
10 black peppercorns
8 cloves, or 1/4 teaspoon ground
2 tablespoons lard (preferably homemade, or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons masa, fresh or reconstituted by mixing 2 teaspoons masa harina with 2 tablespoons water
Wash and griddle-dry the chiles by the directions on my video Working with red chiles Place in a small bowl; cover generously with boiling water and let soak for at least 20 minutes. Drain the soaked chiles and reserve.
While the chiles soak, prepare the vegetables. Using a griddle or cast-iron skillet thoroughly heated over low heat, roast the tomatillos, green tomato, onion, and garlic by the directions on my video here Remove each to a bowl to catch the juices as it is done and set aside.
Grind the peppercorns and cloves together in an electric coffee or spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. When the roasted onion, garlic, and tomato are cool enough to handle, peel them over the bowl to catch the juices. Place the vegetables in a blender with the drained chiles and ground spices. Process to a smooth purée (about 3 minutes on high). With a wooden spoon or pusher, force the purée through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl.
In a medium-size saucepan, heat the lard over medium heat until rippling. Add the puréed sauce and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the salt.
In a small bowl, mix the masa with 1/2 cup water and whisk into the sauce. Bring back to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is somewhat thickened and the flavors well blended, about 15 minutes.
The amarillo is now ready to use as a filling, a thick sauce for tamales, or an accompaniment to what strikes your fancy. Mixed with shredded chicken and folded into tortillas, it is the filling for Empanadas de Amarillo.
YIELD: 2 1/2 to 3 cups
Photo by Pedro Luis de Aguinaga of the coloradito served in restaurant Tlamanalli in Teotitlan del Valle. This is not their recipe though.
Coloradito
Reddish Mole
Call it mole coloradito if you want to stand on ceremony but everyone in Oaxaca just says “coloradito.” There are many versions, some made with chocolate and some without.
Coloradito is unusual among Oaxacan moles in that it is often served with beef. (You can brown cubes of chuck or another braising cut in a little fat, then finish stewing it in the sauce; cubed red potatoes make a good vegetarian substitute.) But the sauce is mixed with shredded cooked chicken or pork. Turkey parts like wings or legs would also be appropriate; precook in a small amount of water or stock for at least 35 – 40 minutes before simmering in the sauce for another 30 – 40 minutes.
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
Half of a 3-ounce tablet Mexican chocolate
1 thick slice day-old challah or brioche
4 ancho chiles (see page 000), tops and seeds removed
4 guajillo chiles (see page 000), tops and seeds removed
One 2-inch piece canela
5 cloves, or 1/8 teaspoon ground
5 black peppercorns
1/4 cup lard (preferably homemade, see ), or vegetable oil
1 small onion, roasted
6 garlic cloves, roasted
3 medium-size ripe tomatoes, roasted and peeled
1/3 small ripe plantain about a 4-inch chunk, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 bunch fresh thyme, about 2 dozen sprigs
6 sprigs fresh Mediterranean oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/4 cup dark raisins
3/4 cup blanched almonds
6 – 8 cups homemade chicken or pork stock (see pages 000 and 000), with the cooked meat shredded and reserved
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Place the sesame seeds in a small heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly shaking the skillet, just until you see them starting to turn golden. Scrape the seeds out into a small bowl to stop the cooking and set aside.
Grate the chocolate coarsely on a straight sided grater, or break or chop into small pieces. Set aside.
Crush the bread to fine crumbs or grind in a food processor. You should have about 1 cup. Set aside.
Wash and griddle-dry the chiles by the directions on page 000. Place in a bowl as they are done and cover generously with boiling water. Let soak for at least 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, grind the canela, cloves and peppercorns together in an electric coffee or spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
Drain the soaked chiles and reserve. In a medium-size skillet, heat half the lard over medium heat until rippling. Add the ground spices and cook, stirring, just until fragrant, 1 – 2 minutes. Add the
onion, garlic, tomato, plantain, thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, raisins, and almonds. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes.
Let the cooked mixture cool for 10 minutes, then place half the mixture in a blender with 1 cup chicken stock and half the drained chiles. Process to a smooth purée (about 3 minutes on high). Repeat with the remaining sauce mixture, another 1 cup chicken stock, and the remaining chiles.
In a large Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat the remaining lard over medium-high heat until rippling. Add the puréed mixture, stirring well to prevent splattering. Stir in the remaining stock, a little at a time. Cook, covered, for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chiles lose the raw edge of their flavor. Stir in the bread crumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is lightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chocolate and cook, stirring constantly, until it is well dissolved. Add the salt.
Stir in the shredded meat; cook, partly covered, stirring occasionally, just until heated through, 7 – 10 minutes. taste for seasoning and add another pinch or two of salt if desired.
Yield: 4 – 6 servings
Photo by Pedro Luis de Aguinaga
This is one of the “seven moles” of Oaxaca — less rich and elaborate than a mole negro, but with a more complex intensity than some of the family. The thickening comes from masa, so it is less caloric than nut-thickened moles. It is also one of the few where specific meats — cubed stewing beef and pork — are a traditional part of the dish. Chichilo is often made with small masa dumplings called chochoyotes that are formed in the shape a little like old-fashioned “thimble” cookies and added to the sauce at the end.
Chichilo is one of the “burned” dishes of Oaxaca in which some ingredient must be well charred and blackened to give the right flavor. If you have a yard or terrace, burn the tortillas there to avoid filling the kitchen with fumes. Or at least disable the smoke alarm for the duration! The bitterness of the charred tortillas softens when they are soaked and then cooked in the sauce, melding perfectly with the other flavors.
At the restaurant we served it with the Isthmian-style meat loaf.
6 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 medium-size onion, quartered
2 pounds beef round, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 pounds trimmed shoulder pork butt, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 guajillo chiles, tops and seeds removed
6 red chilhuacle or ancho chiles, tops and seeds removed
3 packaged corn tortillas
4 cloves, or large pinch ground
2 tablespoons dried Oaxacan oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
10 avocado leaves
1 cup (8 ounces) masa, fresh or reconstituted by mixing 6 tablespoons masa harina to a smooth paste with 1 cup water
For the chochoyotes:
3 tablespoons lard (preferably homemade, see
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup ( 4 ounces) masa, fresh or reconstituted by mixing 1/2 cup masa harina to a smooth paste with 1/4 cup water
Peel 4 of the garlic cloves and set aside. Place the 2 unpeeled garlic cloves in a deep soup pot or large Dutch oven along with the onion, beef and pork cubes, and salt. Add the pepper, setting aside 4 peppercorns to be used later in the spice mixture. Add 9 cups cold water, or enough to cover the meat well. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and skim off any scum that forms on top. Simmer, partly covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the meat cubes with a slotted spoon and set aside; let the remaining ingredients simmer another 15 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, and return it to the rinsed out pot. You should have about 8 cups of liquid. Set aside.
While the stock is cooking, wash and griddle-dry the chiles by the directions on page 000. Char the tortillas over an open flame or until a broiler until thoroughly blackened and slightly shrunken. Place the tortillas and chiles in a medium-size saucepan and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let cook for 10 minutes. You will have an unappetizing sight like drenched tortilla charcoal, but don’t be dismayed. Drain well, discarding the cooking water. Set aside.
Grind the cloves, reserved 4 peppercorns, and oregano together in an electric coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Set aside. Place the avocado leaves on a griddle or in a heavy skillet warmed over medium heat. Toast for a few seconds, just until fragrant and very lightly browned; remove at once. Set aside 4 of the avocado leaves; place the rest in a blender together with the ground spices, drained chiles and tortillas, and reserved 4 peeled garlic cloves. Add 1 cup of the reserved stock and process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
Return the pot of stock to the stove and heat to a low boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. With a wooden spoon or pusher, force the puréed chile-tortilla mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into the stock. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if desired. Add the remaining 4 avocado leaves.
Place the masa in a bowl. Add about 1 cup water and mix to the consistency of a smooth pancake batter. (Work in the water a little by little; you may need slightly more or less.) Whisk the mixture into the simmering stock a little at a time and continue to whisk over low heat until it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. If lumps form, press the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve (pushing with a spoon to force through the lumpy bits) and return to the heat. Add the reserved beef and pork cubes to the sauce and simmer, partly covered, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes or until the meat is fork-tender.
While the stew simmers, make the chochoyotes. Place the lard in a mixing bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the masa and stir the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. (Do not beat — this time you want a dense rather than a fluffy mixture. Roll bits of dough between your palms to form balls the size of small marbles. Poke a deep indentation in each with a finger (this helps them cook faster). From this amount of masa you should get about 20 – 25 chochoyotes. Add them to the simmering stew, a few at a time. Serve as soon as all have floated to the top, about 5 minutes.
At my restaurant Zarela we served it with the Isthmian-style meatloaf.
Photo by Michael Sofronski www.michaelsofronski.com
Green mole (Mole Verde)
Mole Verde
Green Mole
Mole Verde, or just “Verde” for short, is the lightest and freshest-tasting of Oaxaca’s “seven moles.” Fresh herbs rather than spice accents are what distinguish a mole verde. A purée of green herbs has to be added at the last minute.
8 cloves, or 1/4 teaspoon ground
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 jalapeño chiles
6 large tomatillos, husks removed
1 small onion, cut into chunks
5 garlic cloves, peeled
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh marjoram
6 cups chicken or pork stock
1 cup (8 ounces) masa, either fresh or reconstituted by mixing 6 tablespoons masa harina to a smooth paste with 1 cup water
1 medium-size bunch Italian parsley
Eight 6-inch sprigs fresh epazote or 1/4 cup dried, crumbled
3 large or 5 medium-size fresh hoja santa leaves or 5 dried leaves
Grind the cloves and cumin together in an electric coffee or spice grinder, or with a mortar and pestle. Place the ground spices in a blender with the chiles, tomatillos, onion, garlic cloves, thyme, marjoram, and 1/2 cup of the strained stock. Process until smoothly puréed (about 2 minutes on high).
Place the remaining stock in a large saucepan pan; bring back to a boil, and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Add the puréed mixture to the hot stock and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes.
Thin the masa by mixing with 1 cup water. Whisk the thinned masa into the stock mixture, whisking constantly, let the sauce return to the simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes over low heat, whisking occasionally. If lumps form, pass the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve (pushing with a spoon to force through the lumpy bits) and return to the heat. The mixture should thicken to the consistency of whipping cream; if necessary, raise the heat slightly to reduce and thicken it.
Place the parsley, epazote, and hoja santa in a blender or food processor. Is using a blender, add a few tablespoons water to facilitate blending. Process to a smooth purée. Add the puréed herbs to the stock and bring back to a simmer. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 – 6 servings.
Photo by Michael Sofronski www.michaelsofronski.com
Photo by Laurie Smith (www.lauriesmithphoto.com)
Mole Rojo del Istmo
Isthmian Red Mole
Like Amarillo, Mole Rojo belongs to the lighter, simpler end of the seven-moles spectrum. This version from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec is one of my favorites for easy preparation and versatile uses. Like all moles, it goes perfectly with pork or chicken and is a great sauce for enchiladas. (See Enchiladas Zapotecas del Istmo, page 000)
Mole Rojo as I’ve encountered it in Oaxaca has usually been on the sweet side, typically enriched with raisins. I prefer this fresher-tasting approach, based on a recipe I found in a little English-language pamphlet of recipes by María Villalobos titled María’s Culinary Secrets.
In Oaxaca many sauces receive part of their thickening from a good-sized slice of pan de yema (see page 000). Here you may substitute a small roll or — better to reproduce the right sweetness and texture — a slightly sweet egg bread like brioche or good-quality Jewish challah (not the dismal supermarket challah). The bread should be stale enough to make nice dry crumbs.
1 small day-old French roll (about 4 ounces), sliced, or 1 thick slice day-old challah or brioche
6 large pasilla or 4 large ancho chiles, tops and seeds removed
6 large unpeeled garlic cloves
1 large ripe tomato
1 small onion, quartered
One 1-inch piece canela
1/4 teaspoon peppercorns
8 cloves, or 1/4 teaspoon ground
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups homemade pork or chicken stock (see pages 000 and 000)
3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Crush the bread to fine crumbs or grind in a food processor. You should have about 1 cup.
Wash and griddle-dry the chiles by the directions on page 000. Place in a bowl, cover generously with boiling water, and let soak for at least 20 minutes.
Roast the garlic cloves by the directions on page 000; w hen cool enough to handle, peel and set aside.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, add the tomato and onion, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables. Save 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, let cool slightly, and place in a blender with the tomato, onion and roasted garlic. Process until thoroughly puréed (about 2 minutes on high). With a wooden spoon or pusher, force the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl. Set aside.
Grind the canela, peppercorns, cloves, dried herbs, and bay leaves together in an electric coffee or spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
Drain the soaked chiles. Place in a blender (you don’t have to rinse it) with the stock and process until smooth (about 3 minutes on high), stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. With a wooden spoon or pusher, force the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into the bowl with the tomato purée.
Now you are ready to combine and cook the ingredients. In a heavy medium-size saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat until rippling. Add the ground spices and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomato-chile mixture; cook, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the bread crumbs and cook for 2 minutes. If the sauce seems pasty, thin it with a little water or stock. Add the sugar; taste for seasoning and add a little more salt or sugar if desired. (For serving possibilities, see the suggestions given under Amarillo II.)
Yield: 2 1/2 – 3 cups
photo by michael Sofronski, www,michaelsofronski.com
Unfortunately, we d id not have manchamantel in Oaxaca on my last trip there so we don’t have the actual picture that correspponds too the recipe below. But. in a way, it’s good because it allows me to show you we served the Chiapas state version of the sauce with roasted duck. When people ask me if i have a favorite recipe, I used to think that it was a ridiculous question. Now I can say this is it,
Manchamantel
“Tablecloth-Strainer”
In my childhood I used to love a wonderful, exciting sweet-sour-spicy dish called manchamanteles that friends from Chiapas shared with my mother. (You’ll find the recipe in my first book.) The manchamantel of Oaxaca — considered one of the seven classic moles — is obviously related but the flavors are spicier and less fruity.
This version is one that I discovered when I was exploring the food counters of the 20 de noviembre market in Oaxaca City. I had asked several people who the best cook there was and they all pointed me in the direction of one stall named La Pereñita. They were right. Now I go there every time I’m in Oaxaca and always recommend it to travelers. The owner, Nicolasa Ramírez is a strong-willed, proud woman who has had the business for the last 48 years and lived to see her daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter all working there. She did not look overjoyed when I asked what made her manchamantel so special and I think she was surprised to find herself telling me. Perhaps her sense of obligation to give a true record overcame her natural reserve. “You have bewitched me,” she said almost with a tone of injury. “I’m sharing all my secrets with you.”
Two details make a great difference in Nicolasa’s version of the dish. Before combining her spice mixture with the rest of the ingredients, she deepens the flavor by frying it in oil – oil that is already perfumed with sautéed garlic.
Nicolasa used fresh pineapple for manchmantel and I have always followed her. The canned chunks are much too sweet. She uses Oaxacan oregano; fresh Mediterranean oregano is not a close match, but there and in several other recipes I find it better than any type of dried oregano. You want that “green” note.
4 large ancho chiles, tops and seeds removed
10 guajillo chiles, tops and seeds removed
2/3 cup vegetable oil
10 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 large unpeeled onion, or 2 medium-size
4 large ripe tomatoes
5 large tomatillos, with husks
5 large sprigs fresh Mediterranean oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
6 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3 bay leaves
One 1-inch piece canela
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
10 black peppercorns
One 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 pound baby back pork ribs, cut into separate ribs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 – 2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into large (1 1/2-inch) chunks
( about 1/3 small pineapple)
2 large, firm green apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each
Wash and thoroughly dry the chiles. In a heavy medium-size skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the oil over medium heat until rippling. Fry the chiles, 3 or 4 at a time, turning several times with tongs, until they start to puff and change color. Quickly remove them to a bowl as they are done; do not let them burn. Cover generously with boiling water and let soak at least 20 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.
Peel 2 of the garlic cloves and set aside. Using a griddle or medium-size cast-iron skillet, roast the 8 unpeeled garlic cloves by the direction on page 000. Set aside. Working in sequence, roast the onion, tomatoes, and tomatillos by the same procedure, removing each vegetable as it is done and setting it aside in a bowl.
Drain the soaked chiles and place in a blender with 1/2 cup water. Process to a smooth purée (about 3 minutes on high), stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. It may be necessary to add a little more water to facilitate blending, but be careful not to make the mixture soupy — it should be quite thick. With a wooden spoon or pusher, force the paste through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl and set aside.
When the roasted garlic, onion, and tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them (being careful to save the juices) and place in the blender. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and add to the other vegetables. If using fresh oregano and thyme, add them and process to a smooth purée (about 1 minute on high).
Grind the dried oregano and thyme (if using), bay leaves, canela, cumin, and peppercorns together in an electric coffee or spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
Cut the reserved peeled garlic cloves into thin slices. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until rippling. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant and golden; do not allow to burn. Scoop out and discard the garlic. Add the ground spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the chile paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Add the puréed tomato mixture and cook the sauce, covered, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, season the chicken pieces and pork ribs with salt and pepper. In a large, deep lidded skillet or Dutch oven, heat the remaining oil (about 1/3 cup) over medium-high heat until rippling. Brown the chicken well on all sides; remove and set aside. Brown the ribs on all sides and discard all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pan; add the sauce mixture. Stir in the pineapple chunks. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan. Add the apple wedges and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Yields: About 8 servings..
Photo by Pedro Luis de Aguinaga
Photo of the mole negro from La Catedral restaurant that is very different from this one. but this is the one I’ve tested .
Mole Negro de Teotitlán
Teotitlán-Style Black Mole
Mole Negro is the state dish of Oaxaca, the king of moles. It also happens to be the most difficult to make. People pride themselves on their own different touches, and family recipes are passed down as heirlooms. Markets stands specializing in moles all proclaim that their version is the best.
I have selected two representative recipes for Mole Negro. The first is an adaptation of a version made by my friend and culinary mentor Zoyla Mendoza, who has given me much insight into the cooking of the Valley Zapotecs. When she made it for me at her home in Teotitlán del Valle, she first toasted the chiles, nuts, and spices and sent them out to a nearby mill to be ground. Meanwhile she pounded the tomatoes and other moist ingredients in her big stone mortar, to be combined later with the nut and spice paste. Less sweet than many other versions, her Mole Negro is spicy and intense — I love the sprightly taste of fresh ginger. Increase the amount of clove and thyme in the recipe if you wish. Zoyla used much more of both than I do.
Though Zoyla’s version of Mole Negro is less complex then some, it shows the crucial “blackening’ feature of most black moles. For years I’d made versions that turned out no blacker than dark red. An offhand remark revealed what I was doing wrong. “Queman los chiles.” (“They burn the chiles.”), a Juchitecan woman casually told me when I asked her. My instinct said that it would turn the whole dish bitter, so I’d just been toasting the chiles lightly. But in Oaxaca it is normal to make Mole Negro by first separating the seeds from the dried chiles, then toasting the chiles to an absolute crisp and literally burning the seeds. Zoyla also follows this procedure. The bitterness disappears through soaking and extended cooking.
Because the pungent fumes can leave you gasping and call down the wrath of neighbors in city apartment buildings it is wise to attempt this recipe only if you can do the worst part (burning the seeds) outdoors or with a good exhaust fan going full blast. You should also work out an advance plan for the final grinding of the paste. You can either combine all the ingredients and process them in several batches in the blender or assign part of the task (the chiles, nuts, and spices that Zoyla sent out to the mill) to the food processor. Read the recipe through carefully in advance, and decide which strategy you prefer. (The processor alone will definitely give the wrong texture.)
This sauce is popular with enchiladas and shows up in chicken, turkey, or pork tamales (see Tamales de Mole Negro, page 000). But the age-old way of eating black mole is with boiled turkey. In this country, use turkey parts like wings or drumsticks and simmer for 35 – 40 minutes in a small amount of stock, then finish cooking in the sauce for another 30 – 40 minutes. Please note that when served in this manner with poultry or other meats the sauce should be thinned to a fairly light consistency. When it is used as a filling, it must be dense and thick.
4 ounces ancho chiles (see page 000)
4 ounces guajillo chiles (see page 000)
1 thick day-old slice brioche or challah
1/3 cup pecan meats
1/4 cup blanched almonds
4 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 large unpeeled onion (or 2 medium-size)
1 large ripe tomato
4 ounces tomatillos, with husks
2/3 cup (about 4 ounces) sesame seeds
7 tablespoons lard (preferably hoomemade
One 6-inch piece canela
1/2 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
16 cloves
14 allspice berries
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 cup dark raisins
2 – 4 cups homemade chicken stock (see page 000), or as necessary
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 next 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.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the chiles (they must be bone-dry) 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. Set aside.
Place the crisp toasted chiles in a food processor and process until finely ground. Set aside.
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. (Because of the fumes, this is best done outdoors if you have the means. You can speed the process by sprinkling a few drops of vegetable oil over the seeds and igniting with a match, taking care to shield your face and stand well back from the flame.) 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.
Heat a griddle or medium-size cast-iron skillet over low heat. Working in sequence, roast the garlic, onion, tomatoes, and tomatillos by the directions on page 000, removing each kind as it is done and setting it aside in a separate small bowl. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the husks from the tomatillos and peel the rest, making sure to save the juices.
Place the sesame seeds in a medium-size heavy skillet over medium heat and toast just until golden, stirring constantly and shaking the pan. Immediately scrape out the seeds into a small bowl to stop the cooking. Set aside.
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 lightly colored, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Now you are ready to purée 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 – 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.
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, 25 – 30 minutes.
The mole should now be a heavy paste like a thick frosting mixture. It can be stored for later use (see To Store Moles, page 000) or used at once. In either case, it should be thinned before further cooking. Place the paste in the blender when ready to thin it; add 1 cup chicken stock (or as necessary) and process to combine thoroughly.
Yield: About 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 cups before thinning
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