Reddish Mole Coloradito Recipes

REDDISH MOLE (COLORADITO)

Steps:

• Place the pork butt, head of garlic, 1 teaspoon of bruised black peppercorns, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon salt in a 5 to 6 quart saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover well (10 to 12 cups). Bring to a boil over high heat and immediately reduce the heat to low. Remove any foam that collects on top. Simmer, partly covered, until the meat is tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Lift out the pork, letting it drain well, and let cool to room temperature. Raise the heat to high and boil the stock until reduced to about 6 to 8 cups. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh seive, discarding the solids; let sit until the fat can be skimmed off (or refrigerate several hours and lift off the solidified fat). Reserve.
• Remove and discard any visible fat from the pork butt. Pull the meat from the bones, carefully tear it into long shreds, and refrigerate if not using at once. You should have about 3 to 4 cups.
• In a food processor, crush the bread to fine crumbs. You should have about 1 cup. Set aside. Place the ancho and guajillo chiles in a bowl. Pour over boiling water to cover, and let soak for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a spice grinder, coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle, grind together the canela, cloves and remaining 5 peppercorns. Set aside. Drain the soaked chiles and reserve.
• In a medium skillet, heat half the lard over medium heat until rippling. Add the ground spices and cook, stirring, just until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onion, minced garlic, tomatoes, plantain, thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, raisins and almonds. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes.
• Let this cooked mixture cool for about 10 minutes, then place half the mixture in a food processor with 1 cup of the reserved pork broth and half the drained chiles. Process to a smooth puree (about 3 minutes on high). Repeat with the remaining sauce mixture, another cup of pork broth, and the remaining chiles.
• In a large Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat the remaining lard over medium high heat until rippling. Add the pureed mixture, stirring well to prevent splattering. Stir in the remaining stock, a little at a time. Cook, covered, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes, 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 reserved shredded pork. Cook, partly covered, stirring occasionally, just until heated through, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serve.

OAXACAN RED MOLE SAUCE (MOLE COLORADITO)

Steps:

• Chicken:.
• Cook the chicken in 4 cups of water, with garlic, onion and salt on medium heat for 45 minutes. Check to make sure that the chicken is cooked through.
• Mole sauce:.
• Wash the chiles with a damp cloth, remove the stems of the chiles, slit open with a knife and remove the seeds and veins. Toast the chiles on both sides in large frying pan over high heat, making sure that they do not burn.
• Soak the chiles in boiling water to soften them for about 10 minute Meanwhile, fry the almonds in 3 tbls. of the shortening on medium heat for 5 min., or until they are a golden color.
• Take them out and set aside.
• Next fry the raisins until they puff up and the skin browns a bit, then remove and strain in a sieve. Turn the heat down a bit, and fry the sesame seeds in the same oil, adding a little salt to prevent them from jumping from pan.
• Once golden, remove and store on an absorbent paper towel. Still in the same oil, fry the slices of bread, until they are golden. Remove and put on an absorbent paper towel. On a dry pan or skittle roast the garlic, onion and tomato until they are nicely toasted with black spots.
• In a blender, grind the chiles with a half cup of water, and add more water as necessary to blend. Once the mixture is smooth, pour into a saucepan and fry with one tbsp of the shortening for 10 minute on medium heat. Stirring occasionally to ensure that it does not stick to the pan.
• Next, blend both the roasted and fried ingredients together, until smooth. Blend the tomatoes and strain through a colander and add into the chile mixture. Now add the cinnamon sick, thyme, marjoram(if using) and the oregano. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add the chicken broth, salt, sugar and chocolate on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove cinnamon stick. Cool for 15 minutes. Pour the chicken in a serving dish, serve with rice.

COLORADITO (RED OAXACAN MOLE)

Steps:

• Put the chicken into a pan with the onion, garlic, and herbs; cover with water and add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and continue simmering until the chicken is just tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove the stems, if any, from the chiles, slit them open, and remove veins and seeds.
• Toast the chiles on a hot comale for a few seconds on each side, pressing them down until the inside flesh turns an opaque, tobacco color. Rinse the chiles in cold water, cover with hot water, and set aside to soak for about 15 minutes.
• Put the tomatoes into a blender jar and blend briefly. Heat 1 tablespoon of the lard and fry the sesame seeds for a few seconds until a deep golden brown. Transfer with a slotted spoon, draining them as much as possible, to the blender jar; add the oregano, cloves and allspice and blend until smooth, adding a little more of the water in which the chiles were soaking if necessary.
• Add more lard to the pan and heat; add the onion and garlic and fry until translucent.
• Add the cinnamon pieces and fry until the onions and garlic are lightly browned.
• Transfer with a slotted spoon to the blender jar. Add the plantain and bread to the pan and fry over low heat until a deep golden color; transfer to the blender jar. Adding more chile water if necessary, blend until you have a smooth puree. Gradually add the soaked chiles with more water as necessary and blend until smooth. When all the chiles have been blended, dip a spoon into the bottom of the blender jar and take out a sample of the sauce to see if the rather tough chile skins have been blended sufficiently. If not, add a little more water, stir well, and then blend for a few seconds more.
• Heat the remaining lard in a heavy pan or saute pan, add the blended sauce and chocolate, and cook over medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, for about 15 minutes. Add 2 cups of the chicken broth and the chicken pieces, taste for salt, and cook for 15 minutes more. The sauce should be fairly thick and lightly cover the back of a wooden spoon.
• Serve with white rice and tortillas.

MOLE COLORADITO

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Toast the ancho, guajillo, cascabel, avocado leaves, bay leaf, canela, clove, oregano, cumin, coriander and peppercorns on a rimmed baking sheet until browned in spots (but not charred!) and very fragrant, nutty and spicy, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl.
• Toast the raisins, prunes, almonds, peanuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds on the same baking sheet until the nuts are lightly browned and the fruit are puffed and lightly toasted but not burnt, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the toasted chiles.
• Meanwhile, heat the schmaltz in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the plantains and cook until deep golden brown and caramelized on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the garlic, onions and 4 teaspoons salt to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the reserved chile mixture, the plantains, and the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the chiles are very tender and fragrant, about 30 minutes. Discard the avocado leaves, bay leaf and canela (if you can find them). Remove the pot from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Working in batches, transfer the stewed chiles to a blender and puree until very smooth and thick. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining stewed chiles.
• Wipe the pot clean, transfer the mole to the pot and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the mole is the consistency of a smooth, thick tomato sauce, 5 to 10 minutes, adding water or additional stock if the sauce is too thick. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Season with salt. Remove from the heat. Serve over roasted turkey or roasted chicken. Top with toasted sesame seeds.

MOLE COLORADITO

Steps:

• In a large pot, boil 12 cups salted water. Add chicken, onion and 3 garlic cloves. Reduce to simmer. Cook 25 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate, and keep warm. Pour broth through a sieve into a bowl; reserve.
• Stem and seed chilies. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, roast chilies 3 to 5 minutes until they smoke and blister. Transfer to a medium bowl, and cover with boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes.
• In same skillet, roast remaining garlic cloves and tomatoes over medium-high heat 12 to 15 minutes. Turn to blister all surfaces. Garlic should be soft and tomatoes evenly covered with brown/black spots. When garlic cools, remove skin.
• In same skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add bread, and fry until pale gold, about 2 minutes, turning once. Remove bread from skillet. Add sesame seeds, almonds, peppercorns, oregano and cloves. Cook, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes, until fragrant and seeds are lightly colored. Reserve.
• Drain chilies, discarding soaking liquid. Transfer to a blender with 1/2 cup reserved chicken broth. Puree, pushing down and scraping sides, as needed. In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add paste made from chilies and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, until paste darkens and oil is absorbed. Transfer to pot chicken was cooked in.
• In blender, puree fried bread, roasted garlic, tomatoes, seeds, almonds and spices with 2 cups broth. Scrape down sides as needed. Transfer to pot with chili paste.
• Place cinnamon in blender with 1/4 cup broth. Puree. Press through sieve over chili paste mixture. Add 1 quart broth to pot, stirring to combine. Increase to high heat. Bring to a boil. Add sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook 40 to 50 minutes, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Add reserved chicken. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Serve with rice and corn tortillas.

MOLE COLORADITO WITH ROASTED FALL SQUASH

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Toast ancho, guajillo, prunes and raisins on a rimmed baking sheet until browned in spots (but not charred!) and very fragrant, nutty and spicy, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly and transfer to a food processor. Toast almonds, peanuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, peppercorn, oregano, cinnamon, clove, bay leaves and avocado leaves until nuts are lightly browned and spices are very fragrant, 8-10 minutes. Let cool slightly and transfer to food processor with chile mixture. Purée until finely ground but not paste-like. Bring chile purée, stock and lard to a boil in a large heavy pot, reduce to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, increase oven to 450°. Roast tomatoes, garlic, plantain and onion on a rimmed sheet tray until softened and browned in spots (vegetables should still hold their shape), 25-35 minutes. Let cool slightly and transfer to a medium bowl. Cut the top off the garlic, exposing the cloves inside. Squeeze out roasted garlic cloves into tomato mixture. Scrape into simmering chile mixture, cover and simmer over low heat for another hour, mixture will be very fragrant and slightly reduced. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate and let cool 15 minutes.
• Transfer to a blender, working in batches if necessary, and purée until very smooth and thick; season with salt.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 450°. Divide squash among two large rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil; season with salt. Roast, tossing occasionally, until squashes are golden brown and tender, 30-35 minutes for kabocha and butternut and 20-25 minutes for delicata and honey nut. Let cool slightly.
• Ladle mole onto a large serving platter, top with roasted squash, crushed chile de arbol, sliced radish, parsley leaves, toasted pumpkin seeds and sliced white onion.
• Do ahead: mole can be made 3 days ahead, cover and chill.

MOLE COLORADITO

Steps:

• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 450°F. Roast tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet on upper rack until softened and browned in spots (vegetables should still hold their shape), 25-35 minutes. Let cool slightly. Cut the top off the garlic, exposing the cloves inside. Squeeze out roasted garlic cloves into a blender. Transfer remaining vegetables to blender and purée until smooth. Scrape into a medium bowl.
• While the vegetables are roasting, toast ancho and guajillo chiles on a clean rimmed baking sheet on lower rack until guajillo chiles are slightly darker in spots, about 4 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a large bowl. Add raisins and 4 cups boiling water, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit 30 minutes.
• Transfer chile mixture to blender (you don't need to clean it); blend until thick and smooth.
• As soon as chiles are out of the oven, toast sesame seeds on another rimmed baking sheet on lower rack until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Let cool. Grind in spice mill, shaking occasionally, to a powder. Be careful not to overgrind or you will make sesame paste. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Very finely grind cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and cumin seeds in spice mill. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high and cook spice mixture, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add vegetable purée and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens slightly, 5-7 minutes. Add chile purée and broth, season with salt, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mole is thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, 60-75 minutes.
• Add sesame powder, chocolate, breadcrumbs, and piloncillo to mole and whisk until chocolate is melted and sesame seeds are incorporated. Continue cooking, whisking often to prevent mole from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until very thick and the consistency of marinara sauce, 30-35 minutes. Taste mole and season with salt as needed.