My first mole
May 11, 2011 
10 Comments
Building on my new-found tortilla-making skills, I decided to expand my experience of Mexican cuisine by making mole, the “national dish of Mexico,” according to Rick Bayless. I used Bayless’s recipe for Classic Red Mole with Turkey from Mexico One Plate at a Time, although there seems to be some debate as to whether it is an “authentic” mole rojo, in light of its inclusion of chocolate. Questions of authenticity aside, I thought the dish was delicious, served with a side of pressure-cooked pinto beans and fresh tortillas.
Making mole is a laborious process, involving frying, steeping, and pureeing the various ingredients, before frying them again, simmering them and finally using them as a braising liquid for the meat. Fortunately, it can be spread out over a couple of days, and the sauce can be frozen. The starring ingredient, as often seems to be the case in Mexican cuisine, is chillis. This Bayless version calls for three different varieties of dried chillis (ancho, pasilla and mulato), all of which were easily available in Toronto’s Kensington Market.
In fact, it would seem that the chillis are what give the sauce its characteristic texture: coinciding nicely with my growing interest in Mexican cuisine, the latest issue of Saveur has an endearing feature article on Zacatecan cuisine, and notes that the silky texture of chilli-based sauces comes from the pectin released in the soaking process. A quick check of McGee confirms that the many members of the pepper family are rich in pectin.
Achieving that texture also depends pretty heavily on the ability of your blender to puree the chillis, plus the other fruits, nuts and seeds in the ingredient list – no easy feat. After scraping down the sides of my blender and running it again for the umpteenth time, I was desperately yearning for a high-powered Vita-Mix! Until I can scrape together the cash for that, though, I just keep repeating: The strainer is your friend…
Well, if you hadn’t purchased that Modernist Cuisine Gargantua Set you could have bought a VitaMix, but you know those Mexican cooks over the last two centuries achieved that subllime texture with a mortar and pestle and not even a cheap Waring blender around. We’re so spoiled (me included!). I won’t give up my KA standing mixer with its whisk attachment and bread hook. And I won’t give up my VitaMix!
Nice Matt, looking good! I’ve killed more than one blender making mexican sauces and have come to view it as an opportunity to upgrade.
I have the granite mortar and pestle.
I wonder if if I can make tortilla by hand, like the Mexican women in the markets.
Very good job!
Ha! As if on cue, my Kitchen Aid blender gave up the ghost this weekend attempting to make a Mexican pork, Tomatillo and Chile stew called Chilayo.
Well, I never really liked that blender, anyway.
Skip: You’re absolutely right, of course, and I’m glad I don’t have to make mole (or masa) on a metate!
Erik: Glad to hear I’m not the only one (nearly) burning out my blender. Sorry to hear your prediction came true! As you say, at least you now have an excuse to upgrade.
James: If you do make tortillas by hand like that, let me know how it goes. Is it a metate that you have, or a molcajete?
Roberto: Thanks!
Mmmm I seriously can’t wait to see this reicpe sounds too good to be true. Last year after Rick Bayless won Top Chef Masters I entertained the thought about making his famous mole until I saw the gazillion ingredients and steps involved.
Mubashshir, the recipe I used for my mole was from Rick Bayless’ cookbook Mexico One Plate at a Time. If you have access to that book, you should check it out!