Mole Coloradito Enchiladas From Rick Bayless Recipes

MOLE COLORADITO ENCHILADAS, FROM RICK BAYLESS

Steps:

• Set a large (10-inch) skillet over medium heat. When hot, lay a few chile pieces on the hot surface in single layer. Press down with a metal spatula until they change color and become aromatic - about 15 seconds. Flip the chiles and press down, toasting other side. Remove to a bowl. When all are toasted, cover chiles with hot tap water and weight with a plate. Let soak until soft, about 30 minutes.
• Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove & cool.
• Return chile-toasting skillet to medium heat. Add the onion slices and all of the garlic. Roast the onion on both sides until soft and blackened in spots, about 8 minutes. Roast the garlic on all sides until soft and blackened in places, about 15 minutes. Remove from skillet and cool.
• Return the onion-roasting skillet to medium heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, then pour in the sesame seeds. Stir continually until the sesame seeds brown, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl.
• Use tongs to transfer chiles to the bowl with sesame seeds, saving the soaking water. Add the oregano, cloves, pepper, cinnamon, raisins and almonds to the chiles and sesame seeds. Mix well, then scoop half of the mixture into a blender. Pour in just enough chile-soaking water to cover. Cover and blend at high speed until very smooth. Set a medium-mesh strainer over another bowl. Pour in the chile puree and press through with a rubber spatula. Discard the chile skins and sesame seed hulls left in the strainer. Blend the remaining mixture with the soaking water. Strain into the same bowl.
• When the roasted tomatoes are cool, peel off and discard skins. Put the tomatoes in the blender. Peel and roughly chop the roasted garlic. Add to the blender along with the roughly chopped onion. Cover and blend at high speed until smooth. Wash and dry the skillet. Set over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil. When hot, add the tomato puree. Cook - stir almost continually - until the tomato mixture thickens, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Set a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. When hot, add the chile puree and stir continuously until the mixture becomes very thick - about 20 minutes.
• Scrape in the cooked tomato mixture, bread crumbs and chocolate. Add the chicken broth and stir until the chocolate melts. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook 30 minutes.
• Finally, remove from heat and stir in sugar & salt.
• To make enchiladas with the sauce, just warm up some tortillas on a skillet or in the microwave. Fill each tortillas with about 2 tablespoons of chicken and 1 tablespoon of mole sauce. Roll each tortilla, and lay three each on 4 dinner plates. Douse each plate with 1/4 cup sauce (I use way more) and top with a sprinkling of parsley. Serve immediately.

SIMPLE RED MOLE ENCHILADAS WITH SHREDDED CHICKEN

Steps:

• From Ancho seasoning to mole: In a medium-size (4-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela), heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil or lard over medium. Add the almonds and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the almonds to a blender or food processor. Add half of the onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until richly browned, about 10 minutes. Use the slotted spoon to scoop the onions in with the almonds, leaving behind as much oil as possible. (If needed, add a little more oil or lard to the pan, let heat, then continue.) Add the raisins, stir for a minute as they puff, then use the slotted spoon to scoop them in with the almonds.
• Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened on one side, about 6 minutes, then flip them over and roast the other side. Cool, peel and add to the almond mixture in the blender, along with the cinnamon, chocolate and bread. Add 1 cup of the broth and blend to a smooth puree, scraping and stirring every few seconds.Return the pot to medium-high heat and, if necessary, add a little more oil or lard to coat the bottom lightly. When very hot, add the Ancho mixture and cook, stirring almost constantly, until darker and very thick, about 5 minutes. Add the pureed almond mixture and cook, stirring constantly for another few minutes, until very thick once again. Stir in the remaining 4 1/3 cups of the broth, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium-low for 45 minutes. Taste and season with salt and sugar. (If you have never made mole before, season it until it's slightly sweet--the sugar balances the strong flavors.)
• Warming the tortillas: Set up a steamer (with this many tortillas, you'll need 2 vegetable steamers set up in saucepans or a big Chinese steamer--either choice with 1/2-inch of water under the steamer basket); heat to a boil. Wrap the tortillas in 2 stacks in heavy kitchen towels, lay in the steamer, and cover tightly. Boil 1 minute, turn off the heat and let stand without opening the steamer for 15 minutes.
• Finishing the enchiladas: Turn on the oven to the lowest setting and warm 6 to 9 plates in it. Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet, stirring frequently, over medium heat until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. In a medium-size saucepan, combine the chicken with 1 1/2 cups of the mole and warm over medium heat. Bring the remaining mole to a simmer.
• When you're ready to serve, quickly make the enchiladas by scooping 2 generous tablespoons of chicken onto a tortilla, rolling it up and placing it on a warm dinner plate. Continue making enchiladas, arranging 2 or 3 per plate, then douse them liberally with the hot mole. Strew with the remaining sliced onion and sesame seeds.

MOLE ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• break the stems off the chiles and remove the seeds. rinse the chiles.
• toast the chiles until fragrant in a large, heavy skillet, turning them frequently. transfer the chiles to a large saucepan and cover with water.
• simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes, till softened.
• while the chiles simmer, toast and roast the other ingredients. toast the sesame seeds over medium heat in the skillet. watch them carefully as they begin to release their fragrance, browning lightly and dancing in the pan. don't let them burn. spoon seeds into a blender.
• toast the anise and cumin seeds in the skillet until fragrant and add them to the blender.
• pour 1 T of the oil into the warm skillet and str in the nuts.
• saute until lightly colored and fragrant. Transfer nuts to the blender.
• wipe out the skillet and increase the heat to medium high. scatter the garlic cloves in teh skillet, turning the cloves occasionally so that they soften and darken on all sides, which takes a few minutes.
• remove all garlic from the skillet and set it aside until cool enough to handle.
• add the tomatoes to the skillet, turning occasionally as they soften and darken. the skins will split a bit during the process.
• remove the tomatoes and set them aside till cool enough to handle.
• remove the skins from the garlic and tomatoes and add both to the blender.
• pour about 1 cup of the stock into the blender. puree the mixture 2 minutes.
• the sauce will become smooth but a little grainy.
• pour the sauce into a large bowl.
• drain the chiles lightly from their cooking liquid, reserving 1 cup of the liquid. place the chiles and about 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid in the blender and puree. Pour the chiles in the bowl with the tomato sauce.
• Add one more cup of stock to the blender with the remaining sauce ingredients and puree for 2 minutes. this mixture too will become smooth but a little grainy. pour it into the bowl and stir together.
• wipe out any tomato residue from the skillet and add the remaining oil. warm the oil over medium heat. spoon in the sauce and fry it for about 10 minutes, stirring up from the bottom constantly.
• mix in the remaining stock and reserved chile cooking liquid, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes (the sauce can be made ahead and refriegerated for 1 or 2 days or frozen for several months. rewarm before proceeding).
• reserve half of the sauce for another batch of enchiladas or for another use.
• add the turkey to the remaining sauce and simmer together for 15 minutes.
• heat 1 inch of oil in a small skillet till the oil ripples. with tongs, dunk a tortilla in oil long enough for it to go limp, a matter of seconds. don't let the tortilla turn crisp. repeat with remaining tortillas and drain them.
• heat oven to 350. grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
• dip a tortilla into the sauce. top it with about 1/3 cup of turkey drained from the sauce with a slotted spoon, and a couple of teaspoons each of onion and cheese. roll up the tortillas snug but not tight. transfer the enchilada to the baking dish.
• repeat with the rest of the tortillas and filling. top the enchiladas with any remaining onion and pour the remaining sauce evenly over them. scatter the rest of the cheese over the sauce.
• bake for 15-18 minutes till the enchiladas are heated through and the sauce is bubbly.
• serve immediately, with spoonfuls of crema drizzled over and a scattering of cilantro and sesame seeds.