Mole Coloradito Recipes

MOLE COLORADITO RECIPE

Steps:

• Wipe off any dusty crevasses on the dried chiles. De-stem and de-seed the chiles, but don't worry about getting rid of every last seed.
• Roast the chile pieces for 1-2 minutes in a 400F oven. Alternatively, you can flash roast them in a skillet on the stovetop for 15-30 seconds per side. Once roasted, add them to a bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let the chiles reconstitute for 20-30 minutes. If they float to the surface you can use a small bowl or plate to keep them submerged.
• Rinse and de-stem 7-8 Roma tomatoes. Roast the tomatoes in a 400F oven for 20-30 minutes.
• Roughly chop an onion and peel 8 garlic cloves. Add a glug of oil to a skillet over medium heat and saute the onions and whole garlic cloves until lightly browned. Once cooked, add the onion-garlic mixture to the blender.
• Preheat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add 2/3 cup sesame seeds, 8 whole cloves, and 12 black peppercorns to the skillet. Toast until the sesame seeds are turning golden brown, stirring occasionally. Towards the end, add the powdered spices to the skillet (2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano) and cook briefly. Add the mixture to a food processor or spice grinder and grind into a fine powder, setting it aside until you need it.
• By now the chiles are reconstituted. Take a taste of the chiles' soaking liquid. If you like it then you can use it to liquefy the sauce. If it tastes bitter to you then use stock to liquefy the sauce -- I used stock for this batch.
• Drain the dried chiles and add them to the blender along with a cup of stock (or soaking liquid). The onion-garlic mixture should already be in the blender. Combine well. It's worth it to take a taste at every step along the way, starting now!
• Add the roasted tomatoes to the blender and combine well. This should all fit in a single blender jar, but you may have to blend the tomatoes in batches.
• Add the finely ground spice mixture to the blender and combine well. I also added another cup of stock at this point. You'll need 3-4 cups total for the recipe -- I usually just keep track of what I add when blending and then add the rest for the simmer.
• Add 2 tablespoons raisins, 1/2 cup almonds and 1 teaspoon salt. Combine well.
• Add 2 tablespoons lard (or oil) to a large saucepan. Once heated, add the Coloradito sauce from the blender to the saucepan and simmer until heated through. Use a splatter screen if you have one, otherwise a layer of parchment paper or foil will do the job.
• Once heated through add 2 oz. chocolate (optional). I used 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use Mexican chocolate if you want.
• Once the chocolate is incorporated into the sauce take a final taste for seasoning. I added another generous pinch of salt to this batch. (So that is about 1.5 teaspoons salt total but keep in mind this will depend on which stock you use.)
• You can optionally strain the Coloradito sauce at this point. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and use a spatula to force the sauce through the strainer. Be sure to wipe the bottom of the strainer as the sauce tends to cling to it.
• Optional serving style: warm 10-12 corn tortillas in the oven (or flash fry them). Use tongs to dredge them in the Coloradito sauce. Add Queso Fresco and finely chopped raw onion to the tortillas, then fold in half and drench them with more of the Coloradito sauce. Serve immediately with optional garnishes: toasted sesame seeds, Mexican Crema, more Queso Fresco, and freshly chopped cilantro.
• Store leftover Coloradito sauce in an airtight container in the fridge.

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 COLORADO

Steps:

• Make chicken broth: In a deep stockpot, place the chicken, onion, cloves, peppercorns, parsley, and garlic and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender. Remove chicken from the broth and reserve; cover and refrigerate as you will not be using it for a while. Let the broth cool. Skim any fat from the surface and then divide broth into 2 equal-size batches.
• In a hot, dry, large skillet roast the chiles and then add them to 1 half of the broth. In the same skillet, toast the black peppercorns and cinnamon stick separately over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute, and then add them to the chicken broth with the chiles.
• In the same skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and saute until transparent; remove onion and reserve. To the hot oil, add the chopped garlic and saute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it; remove garlic and reserve. To the hot oil, add the plantain slices and fry until golden; remove plantain and reserve. To the hot oil, add the peanuts and fry until golden; remove peanuts and reserve. To the hot oil, add the tortilla and fry until crisp; remove tortilla and reserve. Finally, fry the bread in the hot oil until crisp; remove bread and reserve.
• Add everything that has just been fried to the chicken broth with the chiles. Add the chocolate, raisins, and the roasted tomato to this same mixture and stir to combine. In batches, add mixture to a blender and blend until smooth*. Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl.
• In a dry medium saucepan over medium heat, roast the sesame seeds until they are fragrant; do not brown. Transfer the sesame seeds to the blender with half of the remaining plain chicken broth and blend until smooth*. Add sesame seed mixture to the large bowl with the other pureed ingredients. In the same saucepan, roast the squash seeds over medium heat until they become puffy. Transfer the squash seeds to the blender with the remaining chicken broth and blend until smooth*. Add squash seed mixture to the large bowl with everything else.
• In a "cazuela" or a large, heavy-bottomed wide pot, heat the remaining 1 cup of oil over high heat. When the oil is really hot, add the mole, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally so that it does not stick to the pot. Then add the chicken and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve with tortillas.

ENCHILADAS DE POLLO EN MOLE COLORADITO

Steps:

• Combine the ancho, pasilla and guajillo chiles and raisins in a medium bowl. Add enough hot water to cover, cover the bowl and soak until the chiles are softened and the raisins plump, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain. Remove and discard the stems from the chiles. Set the raisins and chiles aside.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with enough oil to coat and sprinkle with salt. Roast until the vegetables are soft and slightly charred, about 25 minutes.
• Place the sourdough on a small rimmed baking sheet, drizzle lightly with oil and season with salt. Spread out in an even layer and toast until golden brown, 6 to 9 minutes.
• Place the cloves, cumin and cinnamon stick in a small heavy skillet. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until toasted and fragrant, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a small plate. Add 3 tablespoons of the sesame seeds to the same skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the toasted spices.
• Drain the chiles and raisins. Working in 2 batches, combine the chiles and raisins, roasted vegetables, toasted sesame seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, cumin, sourdough and broth in a blender. Puree until smooth, return to the bowl and set aside.
• To refry the sauce, pour enough oil into a 6-quart saucepan to cover the bottom. Place over high heat. Once the oil just begins to smoke, partially cover the pot to protect from the sauce splattering and carefully pour in the blended ingredients (see Cook's Note). Immediately cover the pot, lower the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes; this will allow the flavors to marry and intensify.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To assemble the enchiladas, add about 1 tablespoon oil to a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Fry the tortillas one at a time, turning them once, just until soft and pliable; this will make them easier to roll and prevent them from cracking. Set them aside in a stack on a plate, covered, to keep warm.
• When ready to assemble, flip the stack of tortillas to use the ones on the bottom first, fill each tortilla with chicken, roll to enclose and place side-by-side in a row in a large baking dish. Once the dish is full, cover the enchiladas completely with the mole and bake until the chicken is warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in a small heavy skillet set over medium heat. Toast, stirring constantly, until just lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the enchiladas with the sesame seeds and serve.

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:

• 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.

MOLE COLORADITO ENCHILADAS, FROM RICK BAYLESS

Steps:

• Set a large (10-inch) skillet over medium heat. When hot, lay a few chile pieces on the hot surface in single layer. Press down with a metal spatula until they change color and become aromatic - about 15 seconds. Flip the chiles and press down, toasting other side. Remove to a bowl. When all are toasted, cover chiles with hot tap water and weight with a plate. Let soak until soft, about 30 minutes.
• Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove & cool.
• Return chile-toasting skillet to medium heat. Add the onion slices and all of the garlic. Roast the onion on both sides until soft and blackened in spots, about 8 minutes. Roast the garlic on all sides until soft and blackened in places, about 15 minutes. Remove from skillet and cool.
• Return the onion-roasting skillet to medium heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, then pour in the sesame seeds. Stir continually until the sesame seeds brown, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl.
• Use tongs to transfer chiles to the bowl with sesame seeds, saving the soaking water. Add the oregano, cloves, pepper, cinnamon, raisins and almonds to the chiles and sesame seeds. Mix well, then scoop half of the mixture into a blender. Pour in just enough chile-soaking water to cover. Cover and blend at high speed until very smooth. Set a medium-mesh strainer over another bowl. Pour in the chile puree and press through with a rubber spatula. Discard the chile skins and sesame seed hulls left in the strainer. Blend the remaining mixture with the soaking water. Strain into the same bowl.
• When the roasted tomatoes are cool, peel off and discard skins. Put the tomatoes in the blender. Peel and roughly chop the roasted garlic. Add to the blender along with the roughly chopped onion. Cover and blend at high speed until smooth. Wash and dry the skillet. Set over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil. When hot, add the tomato puree. Cook - stir almost continually - until the tomato mixture thickens, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Set a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. When hot, add the chile puree and stir continuously until the mixture becomes very thick - about 20 minutes.
• Scrape in the cooked tomato mixture, bread crumbs and chocolate. Add the chicken broth and stir until the chocolate melts. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook 30 minutes.
• Finally, remove from heat and stir in sugar & salt.
• To make enchiladas with the sauce, just warm up some tortillas on a skillet or in the microwave. Fill each tortillas with about 2 tablespoons of chicken and 1 tablespoon of mole sauce. Roll each tortilla, and lay three each on 4 dinner plates. Douse each plate with 1/4 cup sauce (I use way more) and top with a sprinkling of parsley. Serve immediately.

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.