Molotes Recipe 455

TRADITIONAL MEXICAN MOLLETES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove some of the bread from the middle of bread halves to accommodate more toppings. Spread about 1 teaspoon butter on each half.
• Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons warmed refried beans on bread. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup Borden® Cheddar and Monterey Jack shredded cheese on the beans. Place bread halves on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the bread is crispy, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Top molletes with Mexican salsa or pico de gallo.

MOLE POBLANO

Steps:

• For the Lomo Saltado:
• Melt a little lard in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the halved onions and the 8 garlic cloves and cook until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and discard the onion. Reserve the garlic. In the infused lard, fry the roasted onions, roasted garlic, roasted tomatoes and tomatillos. Reserve.
• In another large skillet, add the sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts, raisins, prunes, plantains, coriander seeds, star anise and cinnamon, and toast until aromatic. Set aside.
• In a blender add the reserved garlic, the onion mixture, the nut mixture, croissants, tortilla pieces and the 1 1/2 quarts of chicken stock. Puree until a smooth mole forms. Transfer mole mixture to a large stock pot.
• Seed and devein the mulattos, anchos, pasillas and chipotles. Coat a large fry pan with lard. Add the chiles and saute until soft. Add the chiles to a blender and puree, then strain into the pot with the mole. Put the pot over low heat and add the chocolate and the sugar, stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining chicken stock, a little at a time, until the desired thickness of the mole is reached.

CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken pieces in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in the bay leaf, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, cloves, and cinnamon until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes, brown sugar, and chicken broth, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, stir in the chocolate chips until melted, then return the chicken pieces to the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is tender and no longer pink at the bone, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the raisins, and cook 3 minutes longer. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.

MOLLETES MEXICANOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the salsa: combine all the ingredients in a small serving bowl and set aside.
• Cut the bolillos or French bread in half length wise. Take out some of the soft center to make space for the filling. Spread each half with 1/2 Tbs butter, top with the refried beans, place a slice of ham on top (if using), and cover with the cheese. Place the molletes in a jelly roll pan and bake until cheese is melted and bread is warmed through. Serve hot with the salsa.

MOLOTOFF (UNIQUE PORTUGUESE MERINGUE PUDDING)

Steps:

• Before beginning the meringue: Bring the 5-6 cups of water to a rolling boil.
• Using the 2 cups of caramel sauce, grease a tube pan.
• To prepare the meringue: Beat the 12 egg whites on high until they start forming peaks.
• Add the 12 tablespoons sugar and 4 tablespoons of caramel sauce to the egg whites and continue beating the mixture until they form very firm peaks.
• (You will know that it is good enough when you turn your bowl upside down and the mixture is stiff enough not to move!) In an aluminum foil roaster (or any roaster you may have at home) place the boiling water, covering the entire bottom.
• Place the meringue into the caramel-greased tube pan.
• Make sure that no air pockets form when placing the meringue in the pan. Make sure it is well packed.
• Place the tube pan inside the roaster over the boiling water and place it in your oven.
• Bake 20-30 minutes at a low setting, or until the top turns slightly brown.
• Special Notes: Previously warming the oven may cause the meringue to brown quicker than it's cooking time.
• Before removing the meringue from the pan, pass a knife along the sides so it may unstick. Because you are using caramel sauce for the meringue, most of the times it is very stuck to the pan. Unfortunately, this is one of the trickiest parts of the recipe. You may use a little butter to grease the pan before greasing with the caramel sauce, but it doesn't turn out as good as using only the caramel sauce.
• Enjoy!