Mad About Mole!

In Chicago, Illinois, Rick Bayless’s restaurants Frontera Grill and Topolobampo serve the highest quality authentic Mexican food in the United States and have long been supporters of sustainability and local agriculture.

I had the pleasure of working at these restaurants (they share a single kitchen), during my externship at CIA.  My job during the six months I was there was primarily responsible for making mole!

Amarillo, verde, colaradito, rojo, guajillo, fig, criollo, tomato-habanero are only some of the moles and sauces they make there.  Under the guidance of a gentleman named Kique (short for Enrique), I toasted, soaked, blended, strained, and fried many varieties of dried chilies, the base for many authentic Mexican moles and salsas.

This is quite a labor- and time-intensive business; traditionally taking an entire day to make one sauce.  The big city restaurant business, unlike the pace of the Mexican frontera, will wait for no one (or no sauce), so they expedite the cooking process by first frying the dried chile purees in hot lard, stirring vigorously until the color goes from vibrant red to a deep roasted maroon.

From here, add water to the chile paste until the sauce is a silky nape.  Then toast, blend, and strain, and add various seeds, bread, herbs, spices, dried fruits, nuts, and in some cases Mexican chocolate to the sauce according to the traditional recipes which are specific to certain regions of Mexico.

Always add a healthy amount of grilled onions and roasted garlic, then balance the flavors by adding piloncillo (raw Mexican sugar), and sea salt (having enough salt in a mole works like magic in bringing out the flavor).

Included in this post is my personal version of a mole rojo (red mole) that I make at home.  We love to roast turkey legs with some of the mole, then take the meat from the bone and chop it and use it for delicious enchiladas (served with more mole)!  This recipe takes time, but it makes enough to share with friends or keep in the freezer for next time.

Any good Mexican grocery will will carry the chilies called for in this recipe, along with many other varieties,or they can be ordered online.  Piloncillo will also be carried at a stores like this, but brown sugar is a good substitute.  You will need a good hand blender, medium mesh strainer (the best kind is round with a double mesh), a ladle, and a whisk.

Mole Rojo (Red Mole) (makes 3 quarts)
12 ea	Dried guajillo chiles	6 oz	Piloncillo
8 ea	Dried ancho chilies	1 tsp	Black peppercorn
1/4 cup	Vegetable oil	2 tsp	Mexican oregano
1 large can	Tomatoes, crushed	1 tsp	Cumin seed
1 head	Garlic	4 Tbsp	Salt
1 ea	Onion, large	1 gallon	Water
-Wrap garlic head and large onion in foil with 2 Tbsp oil and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour until tender. -Remove seeds and stems from chilies, then toast under broiler until aromatic and just starting to smoke. -Place toasted chilies in a bowl and pour hot water over, weigh down with a plate and soak chilies for 30 mintues. -Place chilies in blender with plenty of fresh water 1/2 gallon fresh water and puree well into a thick paste (use more water if needed). -Push chili puree through medium mesh strainer with ladle. -Heat vegetable oil in large, thick bottomed pan (so as not to burn) and add half of the chili puree, whisking regularly and scraping the pan until the color is 5 shades darker than the original. -Add remaining chili paste and repeat process of whisking and scraping the pan until the chilies are again 5 shades darker. -puree roasted onion and garlic head (skin still on) with black pepper, Mexican oregano, cumin, piloncillo, and canned tomatoes with remaining water. -Strain through medium mesh strainer and add to roasted chili puree. -Season with salt and simmer for 1 hour, adding more water if needed to thin out sauce.
Source: ChefsOnTheRoad.com

This is a luxurious and silky sauce, complex with a richly balanced smokiness, heat, and sweetness. It can be used for enchiladas, added to taco meat, used to stew whole pieces of poultry, and works as an accompaniment to beef or lamb as well. The addition of toasted sesame seeds to the top of a dish is a nice touch, too.

Serve with your favorite Mexican accompaniments:lettuce, onion, black beans, sour cream, maybe a margarita, and enjoy!