I've got a couple of days off after finals and practicals to prepare for the next block which will take me to a higher skill set as far as school goes, so I got home and went through my backpack to remove the books which I used during the last block and look through the bookcase to search for the ones we'll be needing for the new one. Also made sure my knife kit is well packed with more equipment, don't want to be caught missing some implement that I need at the last minute, plus I should work on my the knives & sharpen them well to insure all is at the ready.
As you can see I've got a messy desk full of papers (we picked up a couple of bottles of Mexican Coke in glass bottles and it gave me the pick me up needed to complete this cleanup project, plus it was heavenly...), copies of reports and projects I won't be needing anymore, aprons, hats, books, portfolio and anything else that found its way into either my knife case or backpack which I don't want to lug around anymore.... I'll have plenty of time to pick up other stuff
as the block progresses and I find things I need. It's inconvenient to always be carting around a backpack plus a knife case but nothing else to be done. Considered "tools of the trade", I better make my peace with them since they'll be keeping me company for quite some time to come.It was hard to stay on the same pace as before after having finished off a huge plate of "Menudo Norteno" but Ricardo had been "in the mood" for it and I found it at the store so there you go, one of our traditional dishes, steaming and full of those little extras we so love: hominy, cracked chiles, onions and lemon to complement the "pancita" and beef hoof the Norteno version is known for. Southern versions are typically pig's feet and no hominy but being from the North this is the version I most like that bring me flavors from my side of the street, you could say. YUM!
However as the afternoon progresses I must turn my thoughts to a menu for dinner and I just saw some dried chiles hiding in the pantry looking all innocent as if they weren't calling out to me to transform them into an amazing sauce or lend their smoky goodness to a dish. I brought some "guayaba" and "tamarindo" from the store and all of a sudden images of "Mole de Guayaba" (Guava Mole) or "Mole de Tamarindo" (Tamarind Mole) come to
mind, infusing my senses with their wonderfully complex flavors and velvety texture. I think I have just the thing for dinner.....More and more, as I recall the heavy duty dishes of Mexico which have made our traditions unique among the world by the contrast of the ingredients, textures and aromas.... pairing proteins or vegetables in very interesting and unusual combinations causing surprise and delight to our senses, that I reflect on our vast collection of recipes, many handed down from generation to generation, to commemorate a special event or occasion or maybe to just celebrate a family's coming together, but in each and every case it's usually the women preparing this most elaborate yet delicate dish that the true artistry and personality of the "hand" which stirs the wooden spoon against the pottery cazuela that a meal then becomes the "art" everyone tries to capture and for which this dish is renown. There is no set recipe for mole and everyone takes liberties with each preparation so each time mole is made, the magic is conjured up anew..... yes, the spell is very much with me and I will use it to once again, to enchant my modest porcine meat and convert it into gourmet fare.
Please don't be put off by the number of ingredients shown as this follows the basic procedure for all moles and once you proceed you will see it's fairly easy to accomplish and the results are more than worth the trouble. Just start at the beginning and follow along, it's a lovely trip.....
Mole de Tamarindo (Tamarind Mole).- One of the hundreds or more preparations known for mole combining chiles, spices, nuts and proteins into a velvety rich and complex sauce containing the piquant tones tamarind is known for, this is absolutely amazing!
the chiles:
2 pasilla chiles, cleaned, de-veined, save the seeds
2 mulato chiles, cleaned, de-veined, save the seeds
2 chile negro, cleaned, de-veined, save the seeds
8 cups of water
the seeds and grains:
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup walnuts, shelled
the seeds of the chiles above
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
8 tomatillos, husk off
1 large onion, cut in quarters
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 corn tortillas
1/2 hard roll (bolillo
1 cup pork lard or oil
kosher salt to taste
the fruits and spices:
6 cups of water
1 cup fresh tamarind pods
1/2 cup sweetened tamarind pulp
1 tsp peppercorns, whole
1 tsp cumin, whole
1/8 tsp cloves, whole
1 piece of ginger about 1 1/2 inch long, peeled and cut in large dice
1/4 tsp nutmeg, fresh grated
1/2-1 cup sugar
1/2 piloncillo cone, cut in pieces (Mexican brown sugar in cones)
1/2 tablet Mexican Chocolate, in pieces
1/3 cup prunes, pitted
3-4 cups chicken stock
1 cup pork lard or oil
salt to taste
the meat:
2-3 lbs pork loin or leg, cut in cubes
*you can also use other proteins
To prepare the mole:
Clean, de-vein the chiles and save the seeds. In a dry pan over med-high heat and with some oil or lard, fry the chiles so they get roasted and soft but don't allow to burn or they'll turn bitter, turn and roast both sides. You can add more lard as needed. Remove the chiles and place them in a dish and cover with hot water, allowing them to rest for 1/2 hour. Process in the blender along with some of the soaking liquid and set aside. Reserve the remaining soaking water. In the same pan, leave the oil from before, fry the almonds until golden while you stir and remove. Do the same with the nuts, sesame seeds and chile seeds. In a metate, blender or processor, grind these until they form a paste, if some liquid is needed then use some of the saved soaking liquid. Set aside. In a comal or pan, roast the tomatillos over low heat, along with the onions and garlic, stirring. If you'll be using the tortillas then roast these over an open flame until they are almost burnt and toast the bread. Grind these along with a little more of the liquid and set aside.
Now in a cazuela or large pan with enough lard, add the ground up seeds and stir them until you can see the bottom of the pan and they are thick, this is over medium heat and add some salt. Now add the tomatillos along with the onions, garlic, tortilla and bread; add the processed chiles and cook, stirring once more until they are thick and the bottom of the pan can be seen. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon until the fat separates from this mix, check seasonings.
Clean the tamarind (remove the hard shell and pits) and put in a dish covered in water in a pan, bring to a boil until you get a thick pulp. Run through a sieve. Now process this plus the sweet tamarind pulp and add the seeds cooking along with the chiles. Meanwhile in the other pan, toast the peppercorns lightly, the cumin, cloves, ginger, carefully. Now add the nutmeg and process well and then add them to the mole mixture so they can continue to mix and cook. Check the seasoning and add the sugar, the piloncillo and the chocolate and cook until the mixture resembles a thick mass. Now begin to add the chicken stock, while stirring, a little at a time until this mixture is velvety. Allow the mole to simmer and rest for at least 15-30 minutes more.
Bringing it together:
Now take the meat and in another pan, preheated to medium high heat with some lard, salt and pepper the meat well and then add to the hot pan so it will sear on all sides and gets golden. You should have more than enough sauce for the meat, so take maybe half (unless you need more) of the mole sauce and add it to the meat so that it is well covered. You can serve this Saffron Rice and Fava Bean Puree.
NOTE: You can also serve this using Roasted Chicken Breasts or Duck Magrets (breasts), Shrimp Skewers (placed on top of the sauce) or your favorites.
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******************There you have it, another mole recipe to serve when you're feeling adventuresome. I also have to say that the more you make mole the easier it becomes, as you can see from the recipe it's straightforward and always has the same steps, it's just the flavorings that change so if you're familiar making one type, you will be able to make them all. Don't forget that all "mole" means (in Nahuatl) is "made from many chiles" so any sauce that's composed like this one is technically a "mole". Plus, any mole that's leftover just put in a zip-lock bag or tupperware so you can refrigerate (keeps real well) or even freeze it and you'll have it ready anytime you feel like "Mole Nachos" or
"Enmoladas" or "Quesadillas con Mole" or as a topping for any one of many dishes, except that this time it will only take a couple of minutes to get it ready- so you could say, it turns into "fast food".... what a concept!Ok, guys, now I really have to go. I've got my favorite kitty bugging me to leave the computer alone and go pay attention to her (my spoiled Yucatecan feral kitty)..... first she plays "peek-a-boo" and if I don't follow the clues, she ends up sitting ON my computer and that's that..... so guess my time's up. Talk soon.... Be well.....
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