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In case you’re wondering, the title does NOT refer to creating a small gopher-like animal or any dish containing it. No, mole is a delicious traditional Mexican sauce. In fact, it’s so traditional that the name derives from an Aztec word that just means ‘sauce’. The most popular type hails from Puebla, Mexico which gives its name to the full description: mole poblano.

The basic ingredients are straightforward enough, though some of them may require a bit of digging to locate.

Ingredients:
3 corn tortillas
1/2 short French roll
2 very ripe plantains (dark)
3 oz Mexican chocolate
5 plum tomatoes

6 ancho chiles
3 pastilla chiles
3 garlic cloves
1 small onion

2 tbsp almonds
4 tbsp peanuts
4 tbsp pecans
2 tbsp sesame seeds
5 tbsp raisins

8 pepper corns
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 tsp anise
1/2 tsp cumin

5 cups chicken broth
4 tbsp pork lard

There’s quite a bit of preparation to make a fine mole, but the effort is worth it, as a taste of the results will prove.

Grind up all the chiles, as well as the cumin and anise, very finely. Set them aside. Grind up the nuts to small chunks, but not powder.

Sauté the nuts in the pork lard. If you prefer something less heavy use vegetable or canola oil. Then sauté the raisins in the same oil. In a fresh skillet, sauté the plantains in pork lard or oil until they’ve gone slightly crispy. Then sauté the bread in the same skillet.

Mix the vegetables together with the sautéed plantains and add 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth. You can use a blender or stir well with a spoon or mixer, then strain the result. Strain the chile mix to remove any seeds, stir well, then add the result to the vegetable mix.

Make a paste by mashing the bread and tortillas well, then add them in too. Add 2 cups of chicken stock. Add another cup of chicken stock to the ground nuts and blend that in.

Finally, melt the chocolate and add it to this soupy mixture and stir well. Now, for the hard part. Stir almost continuously for about 2 hours.

This can be done by trading places among several people, or you can set a mixer on very low speed, preferably one that has a computerized timer so it can be turned off and on every few minutes for a few seconds. But you’ll need a mixer with a heating element since the blend also needs to be cooked over low heat while it is stirred.

The result is enough to spread on dishes for a dozen diners and will keep well in the refrigerator for a week.

Technorati Tags: mole, mole poblano, mexican food, mexican cuisine, mexican dishes

The title refers here to the sauce, or (in Spanish) mole, not to the popular dance. But a good salsa can make you want to move your body in an excited rhythm. To citizens of the U.S., salsa is nothing more than a mix of fresh chopped tomatoes with spices. But in Mexico, salsa recipes are as varied as the country itself. Like the word mole, salsa in Spanish also means ‘a sauce’. But that plain word can describe a great many delicious varieties.

Salsa de Arequipa hails from the city in the Andes mountains that gave the sauce its name. Sometimes served with potatoes, it may also be made with eggs. Ajo chiles provide the nice ‘bitey’ spice of this special dish.

Salsa Cruda is just what the name suggests, plain salsa. But even plain it can be a delight. Made with uncooked chiles, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice, add bell peppers for a little more zing. Chunky. Perfect just as it is.

Salsa Fresca is very similar. Chopped a little more finely, other vegetables such as carrots and onions can be added. For a truly small chunk fresca, make it pico.

Salsa de Mani is a delicious variation on the standard sauce, which uses a South American peanut sauce to turn it into a paste. Add a bit of jalapeño, then a 1/2 cup of chunky peanut butter then heat in a pan. Throw in some sautéed onions to add bite to the sweet flavor.

Salsa Roja is just what the Spanish name means: red sauce. It makes a delicious paste when the tomatoes are stewed and spiced up with pepper. A dash of tabasco from the Mexican state of the same name is a terrific addition. The great taste is universal.

Salsa Taquera may sound ordinary when translated to ‘taco sauce’. But there’s nothing mundane about the taste of this great dish. Smoother than standard salsa, it’s made of cooked tomatoes, spiced with chiles, vinegar and garlic. While a native Mexican may not regard this as a true salsa, no citizen anywhere could argue with the results when it comes to flavor.

Lest you think that all salsas are red (because of the tomatoes), add to the list some Salsa Verde, or ‘green sauce’. The name may be nothing special but the taste is. Use tomatillos as a base, then add ricado and chiles. Throw in a dash of cilantro and you have a thin salsa that pours like a dream.

This one deserves a few extra words because the ricado is itself a blend of seasonings that vary from region to region. Ground cinnamon, cocoa and oregano are commonly used. Add cumin seeds for a delicious variety. Throw in some basil for a different slant.

Whichever dish you’re preparing you’ll find a type of salsa that pairs perfectly. Whether fresh or cooked these sauces add spice to a meal. Which is to say, they add spice to life. What more could anyone ask?

Technorati Tags: salsa, mexican salsa, chiles, mexican food, mexican cuisine