Beans & Mole

[SusanD]

Does anyone have good recipes for homemade refried beans and/or Mole sauce? Mole recipes are hard to find, and the couple that I've tried have been pretty yuck. I've always wanted to make my own refired beans, I'm guessing it's not too tough but don't want to try it on my own without an idea of what I'm doing.

[Gail]

Since mole was the one major kitchen fiasco of my life, I don't have a recipe to recommend. I've got lots of recipes, but none I could vouch for. If you can be a bit more specific as to what you're looking for how you're planning on using the sauce) I'd be happy to wade through my things.

In the meantime, we have a couple of informal recipes for beans on this thread: www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/000706.html (http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/000706.html)
If you feel in need of something a bit more formal, I can do that too-- however my recipes are either going to utilize lard or bacon fat so beware!

[lorilei]

The best MOLE recipe I've ever encountered was located in a Rick Bayless book... probably "Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico".

It's an excellent book with lots of great authentic recipes in it from varied regions of Mexico. The mole in the book is time consuming, but fragrant and full of depth. Definitely worth the time.

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 10-26-2000).]

[sneezles]

SusanD
I just served this recipe this weekend and it got rave reviews (even for beans!)

Pinto Beans, Frijoles

1 ilb. package dried pinto beans
1 large onion, chopped
1 (10oz) can tomatoes and green chilis
1 tbs salt
1 tbs sugar
2 tbs chili powder
1/2 lb. smoked ham hocks

Wash the beans and pick out rocks. Place in a 2 quart pan and cover with 4 cups water. Soak overnight (or at least 4 hours). Drain the beans and add new water (4-5 cups). Bring to a boil, lower heat, add the other ingredients. Simmer for 4 hours, adding water if needed to keep beans just covered with liquid, stirring occasionally until the beans are soft.

To Refry:
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable oil, lard or bacon drippings
1 recipe pinto beans

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet or electirc fry pan. Add 1/4 of the beans at a time and mash with a potato masher by hand. Continue to mash and stir until all the oil has been absorbed, about 30 minutes. Be careful not to cook too long or they will be come to dry.

You can place these in a casserole dish, top with grated Jack cheese and serve immediately or refrigerate and then reheat at 325º for 15-20 minutes.

Sorry, no recipe for mole, as I have a personnal dislike for it.

[This message has been edited by sneezles (edited 10-26-2000).]

[SusanD]

Thanks for the help! I'm definitely going to try the beans this weekend. I love refried beans, but always hated using the canned ones knowing they probably weren't that hard to make. As for the Mole, I think I'll search out that book. Why is it such a hard thing to find I wonder? I even asked a co-worker who is Hispanic and she told me she uses store-bought Mole. As a side note on Rick Bayless, Topolobampo is one of the best restaurants in Chicago...if you're in the area, I highly recommend it!

[lorilei]

Susan - Hmmm... I'm not sure it's so much that mole recipes are hard to find -- but most of the good moles I've encountered are quite time consuming. So, your average person probably isn't going to bother going through the motions.

I don't like to recommend things I've never tried (hence, the Bayless recipe, which I HAVE), but here are some others you could try if you wished:

Mole Sauce

30 chiles mulattos
20 chiles anchos
10 chiles pasillas
1 tablespoon mixed seeds from chiles
1/2 cup almonds (not blanched)
1 corn tortilla
Vegetable oil
2 french rolls
1 onion, peeled
2 peppercorns
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Pinch anise seed
Pinch coriander
1 quarter Mexican chocolate (comes in rounds, marked in quarters)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch cumin powder
Salt to taste
Pinch ground cloves (optional)
4 to 6 cups hot turkey or chicken broth

Wash and dry chiles (all can be bought at Mexican food stores). Place chiles in dry, heavy skillet and toast lightly. Remove seeds. Soak chiles in water to cover. Toast chile seeds with almonds in dry skillet until brown. Fry tortilla until crisp in a little oil. Cut rolls in half and fry until brown. Grind all ingredients to the consistency of paste. Add 1 cup or more of broth to ground chile (enough to strain the chile). Stir through sieve; add broth if needed to bring to heavy cream consistency. Sauce can be frozen in 2-cup amounts.
MAKES 8 CUPS.
_____________________________________

Title: Mole Sauce
Categories: Sauces, Emeril, Ethnic, Am/la

1/2 c Shelled pumpkin seeds; -roasted
1/4 c Pistachio nuts; roasted
1/4 c Pine nuts; roasted
1 tb Tamarind paste
1/2 c Poblano peppers; roasted,-seeded and chopped
1 ts Garlic; minced
1 ts Chili powder
1 ts Ground cumin
1 tb Steen's cane syrup
Juice of 1 lemon
1 c Olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients together. Puree the mixture until creamy and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with turkey.

Source: Essence of Emeril, #2326, TVFN