mole sauce?

[venus]

I've been reading a lot of good things about mole sauce recently, here and on other websites. I'm interested in trying it, but I can't seem to figure out what it tastes like. If I'm not mistaken, chocolate and chiles are the main ingredients. What type of flavor does this give? What is it good on? Does anyone have any quick and easy recipes, or a basic recipe that can be altered? What are your experiences with making it?

[andrea]

try asking for a little taster next time you go to a mexican restaurant. i did... i didn't like it at all!

[This message has been edited by andrea (edited 01-18-2001).]

[sneezles]

Have to agree with Andrea-try it first-I didn't care for it either!

[kwormann]

On the other hand, I LOVE IT! Of course, I havent met a mexican food I didnt like!

[Gail]

We've had a couple of discussions on mole and in running a search, I see there are several recipes to be found. This first thread contains some descriptions of mole, as well as some recipes from Stacey Strawn:
www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/001219.html (http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/001219.html)

The next one has a couple of other recipes:
www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/001914.html (http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/001914.html)

I've got loads of recipes for moles, so if what you find here, and in a search, doesn't tickle your fancy, give a holler.


[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 01-18-2001).]

[Leonard]

I ordered Cl for my cousin for her birthday present. Her first issue was Jan/Feb. She was so excited and looking forward to making the Chicken Mole with Green Beans. I called to get her review. It was a big "thumbs down". She said the mole sauce had such a strange flavor. She couldn't even describe it. I felt bad, considering it's the first issue she's gotten. My response was 'better luck next time. These things happen"!!!!

[venus]

Well, it looks like I won't be trying mole sauce. I read through the previous two threads and it really didn't sound appealing. Thanks for saving me a lot of work and disappointment guys!

[Gail]

Probably it's that blasted mole poblano giving the stuff such a bad rap. It is a "different" kind of taste for most American tastebuds, and regretfully for many the only brush with mole they're ever likely to find. As stated elsewhere, I've had a BAD experience with mole poblano myself. However, for some reason, I feel duty-bound to try to redeem the reputation of the moles you'll probably never find in restaurants, even if you never choose to make it. Here's an example of one of the less popular non-mole-poblano moles, just so you know. (Really, I need to order some epazote, so I can try this for myself to see how different it is from the poblano!)

MOLE ROJO DE CHILE SERRANO
Red Stew with Mountain Chiles

1 pound pork for stew, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic
1 pound (about 3 medium) tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
12 canned serrano chiles (or less)
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Sprig of epazote
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon lard (!) or salad oil
1 3 1/2 to 4 pound chicken

Simmer the pork, covered, in enough salted water almost to cover, for 1 hour. Drain, reserving the stock, and set the meat aside.
Combine the garlic, tomatoes, chiles, thyme, oregano, and epazote in the electric blender, and blend to a smooth puree. Heat the lard in a skillet; add the puree, and cook over a moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved pork stock, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken in a large, heavy, flattened casserole, surround with the pork, and pour the sauce over all. Cover and cook over a low heat until the chicken is tender when pierced with a fork-- about 1 hour. Serves 6.

(From: The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking)

[sneezles]

Gail
Thanks for sharing the recipe it looks great. Where do you oreder the espazote from?
I know for sure that I wouldn't be able to find it anywhere close and it will be awhile before I get back to Houston!
I just looked at the "Comfort in a Casserole" section on the CL Homepage and do you think I could omit the choclate from the Chili-Cheese one?

[Gail]

That's it, Sneezles. I HAVEN'T ordered it. I know both Spice House and Penzeys have the dried form, but there's this gigantic Mexican market near my mom's which just might have the fresh... So, I'll check there next time I visit her before ordering via mail. (Or very possibly I can locate the dried locally.)

I read the recipe you mentioned. Sure, you could try it without the cocoa. Of course, I can't say what it'd do to the balance of flavors-- I'm thinking it could end up tasting very strongly of peppers as a result-- but on the other hand, the onion, pepper, garlic, seasoning and oil mixture is similiar to the sofrito we add to Cuban beans and such, just without the sweetness of the red pepper and the smoky quality of the chipotle. Play with it a little, if you want. If you're cutting the chocolate, I might do without the red pepper and possibly chipotle as well, all of which are going to add to the mole-like quality. (Of course, I could be COMPLETELY wrong about this... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif )

[sneezles]

Well, I really like the chipolte in adobo sauce but will play around with the ingredients. Just thought it sounded like a good recipe for the Super Bowl party we're having at the bar.

[Gail]

Sneezles,

I'm always reluctant to monkey around with a recipe I haven't tried. There is always the balance of flavors issue to contend with, which had something to do with my suggestion about the chipotles. Like I said, though, I could be completely off-base!

I know you didn't like mole last time you tried it, but maybe you want to try the recipe as is. I mean, just because you didn't like one mole, it doesn't automatically follow that you won't like another. (now, if you've actually seen the recipe of the one you didn't like, and can compare ingredients, obviously that would be a different matter...) Who knows?? Maybe this recipe is a winner, even for us non-mole types... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif If you try it--monkeyed with or otherwise-- let us know how it comes out.

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 01-19-2001).]

[sneezles]

OK, you've convinced me to try it as is. I printed out the recipe and figure 1 tbs maybe won't be that bad! The last time (and only) for mole was in a Mexican restaurant in Arlington Heights, IL-don't even know if the place is still there and it was so long ago (I was pregnant for the first time so that makes it 20+ years) and I usually don't hold grudges...

[Gail]

You were pregnant! Oh, Lord-- not the best of times to form lasting opinions about any food...


...of course if you hate it THIS time, that's a different matter. And at least you'll know what flavor combinations to avoid in the kitchen next time, hmmm?

[venus]

So this recipe sounds much better--no pumpkin or sesame seeds and chocolate. But what is epazote? Please forgive my ignorance...

[Gail]

No need to apologize. I've never used it myself, but it does appear in quite a few of the recipes in one of my Mexican cookbooks. Now that I've learned to appreciate annatto (or achiote) I figure it's time to move on to something else. This is what Penzey's has to say about epazote:

Epazote is traditional for Mexican cooking, adding a sweet, mild flavor of its own to each dish. Historically, it has been used to reduce the intestinal gas that occurs with a diet rich in beans. Many recipes call for epazote, and many people swear by it. Add 1 TB. to a 2-qt. pot of chili or bean soup, or simmer with beans before adding to soup or chili.

...didn't like the pepitas or sesame seeds either, hmm? You're a tough customer, Aphrodite! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif


[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 01-19-2001).]