Green Mole With Pork Recipe Epicuriouscom Recipes

MOLE VERDE

Steps:

• Place the meat and bay leaf in a large casserole, and add just enough water to barely cover it. Turn heat to medium and cook for about 30 minutes with the lid on. The water will start to reduce, and the meat will start browning on its rendered fat. The slow cooking process will produce a tender meat. If after this period of time your meat still looks though, keep cooking and add a little bit more water as needed.
• While the meat is cooking, place tomatillos in a saucepan*, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatillos are pale green and soft, about 6-8 minute.o
• Place the cooked and drained tomatillos in a blender with the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, Serrano peppers, garlic, onion, romaine lettuce leaves, Hoja Santa leaves, cilantro leaves, spices, and 1 cup of water or chicken broth. Process until you have a very smooth sauce. Depending on your blender, you may need to work in batches.
• By this time, the meat should be starting to brown in the casserole. Pour the sauce over the meat and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to avoid the sauce from sticking to the bottom. Once the sauce starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently to allow all the flavors to be absorbed. Add the cubed vegetables and more water as needed.
• Keep slowly simmering until the vegetables are cooked, about 8 minutes. Serve warm with a nice portion of rice and corn tortillas to scoop up the mole sauce from the plate.

HERBED PUMPKIN SEED MOLE (MOLE VERDE CON HIERBAS)

Steps:

• In a large skillet with high sides or in a large saucepan, toast the pumpkin seeds, cumin seeds, and oregano over high heat. Toss to make sure they don't burn, but toast until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender or spice grinder and process until ground. Set aside.
• In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, tomatillos, garlic, and jalapeños and cook until slightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes, tossing a couple of times, but not stirring too much. Carefully place the vegetables in a blender or food processor. Then add the broth, cilantro, parsley, epazote (if using), and salt and process until puréed. Pour back into the skillet and add the ground pumpkin seed mixture. Let simmer until flavors are well combined, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Serve immediately. Any leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for a couple of days.

PORK MARBELLA

Steps:

• Season pork with salt. Let sit 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix wine, prunes, olives, brown sugar, capers and brine, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and ¼ cup oil in a medium bowl to combine; set sauce aside (or use it to marinate pork up to 12 hours).
• Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Cook pork, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, 6-8 minutes.
• Remove skillet from heat and let sit 1 minute so pan can cool down a bit. Pour reserved sauce over pork and give pan a few shakes. Transfer to oven and roast pork, basting with sauce halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of tenderloin registers 145°F, 22-26 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
• Return pan to medium-high heat. Add butter to sauce and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until butter is melted and sauce is slightly reduced, 3-5 minutes. Stir in parsley if using.
• Slice tenderloin crosswise against the grain. Transfer to a platter and spoon pan sauce over.

GREEN MOLE WITH PORK

Steps:

• Choose a deep saucepan or Dutch oven large enough to hold the meat comfortably. Place the tied pork loin and bones in it along with the peppercorns, salt, and 4 of the garlic cloves. Add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch (at least 7 cups). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, partly covered, for 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads 120° F. (Do not worry about the low temperature. The meat will cook more thoroughly in reheating.) Remove the meat and bones from the cooking stock and set aside. Strain the stock; you should have about 6 cups.
• Grind the cloves and cumin together in an electric coffee or spice grinder, or with a mortar and pestle. Place the ground spices in a blender with the chiles, tomatillos, onion, thyme, marjoram, the remaining 5 garlic cloves, and 1/2 cup of the strained stock. Process until smoothly puréed (about 2 minutes on high).
• Return the remaining strained stock to the pan; bring back to a boil, and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Add the puréed mixture to the hot stock and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes.
• Thin the masa by mixing with 1 cup water. Whisk the thinned masa into the stock mixture; whisking constantly, let the sauce return to the simmer.
• Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. If lumps form, pass the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve (pushing with a spoon to force through the lumpy bits) and return to the heat. The mixture should thicken to the consistency of whipping cream; if necessary, increase the heat slightly to reduce and thicken it.
• Untie the cooked pork and carve into serving pieces. Carve the bones into separate rib sections.
• Place the parsely, epazote, and hoja santa in a blender or food processor. If using a blender, add a few tablespoons water to facilitate blending. Process to a smooth purée.
• Add the cooked beans to the masa-thickened sauce and let return to a simmer. Return the carved meat and bones to the pot along with the puréed herbs. Taste and add more salt if desired. Cook until just heated through, 4 to 5 minutes. Give each person a piece or two of rib bone along with the meat and sauce. Serve immediately.

GREEN MOLE

Steps:

• Put the chicken pieces, onion, and garlic into a large saucepan; add water or chicken broth to cover and add salt. Add the optional giblets if you are making this with water. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat until the meat is almost tender but still firm, about 25 minutes. (A lot will depend on the quality of the chicken.) If using pork, cook for about 20 minutes longer. Strain, reserving the broth. Reduce or add water to make up to 6 cups (1.5L).
• Put the sesame seeds into an ungreased skillet over medium heat, stirring them constantly until they become a deep golden color, about 5 minutes. Take care not to let them burn. Spread them out on a tray to cool. Put the pumpkin seeds into the pan and stir them until they begin to swell and start to pop around, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool. When the seeds are cool, grind the sesame first with the cloves, peppercorns, and allspice to a slightly textured powder. Then grind the pumpkin seeds to the same texture. Transfer both to a bowl and stir in 1 cup (250ml) of the reserved broth to make a thick paste.
• Heat about 3 tablespoons of the lard or oil in a heavy casserole, add the seed paste, and fry over medium-low heat, scraping the bottom of the pan constantly to avoid sticking - if necessary add a little more fat - until dry, shiny, and a rich deep golden color.
• Unless you have a large blender jar you may need to blend the greens in two batches, but try to use the minimum of liquid. Put 1 cup (250ml) of the broth into the blender jar and add the garlic, tomate verde, and chiles and blend fairly smooth. Gradually add half of the greens and blend as smoothly as possible. Add the rest of the greens little by little, with just enough of the broth to enable the blades of the blender to work efficiently.
• Gradually stir the blended ingredients into the fried seed paste over medium heat, stirring the mixture well after each addition. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce starts to reduce and thicken, for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining broth and cook for a further 10 minutes - pools of oil will form around the periphery. Add the meat, adjust salt, and cook for a further 10 minutes. Dilute with more broth or water if desired. Serve with corn tortillas.

SLOW-COOKER MOLE PORK

Steps:

• Tear the tortillas into small pieces; toss with the chiles, sesame seeds, raisins, onion, garlic and five-spice powder in a bowl. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tortilla mixture; cook, stirring, until the sesame seeds are toasted and the onion is slightly charred, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid evaporates and the tomatoes start browning, about 6 minutes. Add the cilantro and 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil, scraping up the skillet. Working in batches, transfer to a blender and puree until smooth, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
• Season the pork all over with salt and pepper; add to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low, 8 hours.
• Before serving, pierce the sweet potatoes several times with a fork: microwave until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and slice. Top with the sauce and more sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve with the sweet potatoes and tortillas.

TEOTITLAN-STYLE BLACK MOLE

Steps:

• The day before beginning the sauce, remove the stems and tops from the chiles; carefully shake out and reserve the seeds. Rinse the chiles under cold running water. Spread them out in a single layer where they can dry completely. Let stand until the following day, turning occasionally and checking to be sure not a drop of moisture remains.
• Crush the bread to fine crumbs or grind in a food processor. You should have about 1 cup. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Spread the chiles (they must be bone-dry) in one layer on a baking sheet. Toast them in the oven, turning frequently, until crisp and deeply blackened, about 20 minutes. Let the chiles stand at room temperature until completely cooled.
• Spread the pecans and almonds on a baking sheet. Toast them in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Place the crisp toasted chiles in a food processor and process until finely ground. Set aside.
• On a griddle or in a small cast-iron skillet, heat the reserved chile seeds over high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until thoroughly charred and black on all sides, about 5 minutes. (Because of the fumes, this is best done outdoors if you have the means.) You can speed the process by sprinkling a few drops of vegetable oil over the seeds and igniting with a match, standing well back from the flame and taking care to shield your face, clothing, and hair. Place the charred seeds in a bowl, cover with at least 2 cups cold water, and soak for 1 1/2 hours, changing the water twice. Drain and set aside.
• Heat a griddle or medium-size cast-iron skillet over low heat. If using 1 large onion, cut it in half crosswise (leaving the skin on). Place the onion, individual unpeeled garlic cloves, tomato (stem side down), and tomatillos (in the husks) on the griddle. Cook, turning frequently. The onion and garlic are done when they are somewhat softened, about 8 minutes for the garlic and 20 to 25 minutes for the onion. The tomato is done when the skin is blackened and blistered all over, about 15 to 20 minutes. The tomatillos are done when they are lightly softened all over, about 10 to 15 minutes. (Handle them delicately so as not to squeeze them and pierce the skin, and turn frequently to avoid scorching.) Remove each kind of vegetable as it is done and set it aside in a separate small bowl.
• When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, remove the husks from the tomatillos and peel the rest, making sure to save the juices. If using a large onion cut in half, scrape the black bits off the cut side.
• Place the sesame seeds in a medium-size heavy skillet over medium heat and toast just until golden (about 3 minutes), stirring constantly and shaking the pan. Immediately scrape out the seeds into a small bowl to stop the cooking. Set aside.
• In a small, heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon lard over medium-high heat until rippling. Add the canela, thyme, oregano, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and ginger. Fry the spices, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
• In a small skillet, heat another 2 tablespoons lard over medium heat until rippling. Add the raisins and bread crumbs; cook, stirring, until the raisins are puffed and the bread is lightly colored, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
• Now you are ready to purée all the ingredients, using either a blender/food processor combination or a blender alone.
• If using both machines, place the pecans, almonds, sesame seeds, bread-raisin mixture, ground chiles, and drained chile seeds in the food processor (working in batches as necessary). Process to a smooth purée. Next, place the fried spices, peeled garlic, onion, tomatoes, and tomatillos in the blender and process to a smooth purée. Combine the two mixtures in a large bowl.
• If using only a blender, line up all the prepared ingredients next to the machine on the counter, place some of each in the blender container, add a few tablespoons chicken stock, and process until smooth, adding more stock as necessary to facilitate blending. (This method requires great patience; small batches will be well puréed in 1 to 2 minutes while large ones may retain coarse bits of the spices. If thoroughly processed, the mixture will not require sieving, so try not to rush things.) Pour each batch into a bowl as it is done and proceed with the next batch.
• In a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons lard over high heat until rippling. Add the purée, all at once, watching for splatters, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, until the harshness of the chiles is mellowed, 35 to 40 minutes.
• The mole should now be a heavy paste like a thick frosting mixture. It can be stored in the refrigerator for at least 4 to 6 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. In either case, it should be thinned before further cooking. Place the paste in the blender when ready to thin it; add 1 cup chicken stock (or as necessary) and process to combine thoroughly.

GREEN PIPIâN MOLE WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the mole:
• In a sauté pan over moderate heat, toast the pumpkins seeds, stirring frequently and being careful not to burn them. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Once cool, reserve about 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds for garnish, then transfer the remaining seeds to a blender and add enough vegetable stock to cover by 1 inch. Blend on high until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and clean the blender.
• Place the tomatillos, epazote, hoja santa, romaine, cilantro, chiles, onion, garlic, and cumin in a blender, in that order, and blend well. If more liquid is needed, add water or broth, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• In a deep skillet over high heat, heat the oil until shimmering then carefully add the tomatillo mixture and fry, stirring constantly and adding broth or water as needed to achieve a sauce-like consistency, for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and add the pumpkin seed mixture. Mix well, then season to taste with salt.
• To serve:
• Divide the rice, chayote or zucchini, green beans, and poached chicken among 4 plates. Coat the chicken with the mole, garnish with the reserved pumpkin seeds, and serve.
• DO AHEAD: Leftover mole can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days in the refrigerator. Or, if frozen properly in an airtight container and wrapped in plastic and then aluminum wrap, it can be held for up to 4 months in the freezer.

EASY PORK MOLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat dressing in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add meat and yellow onions; cook 10 min. or until meat is evenly browned and onions are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add next 4 ingredients; mix well.
• Stir in tomatoes; simmer on low heat 15 min. or until meat is done, stirring occasionally. Top with green onions. Serve over rice.

CRAB ENCHILADAS WITH GREEN MOLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until slightly limp, about 2 minutes. Add the crab, oregano, and pepper and toss until the crabmeat is heated through, just another couple of minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Spread 1/2 cup mole verde onto the bottom of a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish.
• Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a wet paper towel. Microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until softened. Spread the tortillas out onto a couple of large baking sheets or cutting boards.
• Spoon some of the crab mixture in a line down the center of each tortilla. Roll them up, placing them seam-side down on the mole verde in the baking dish. Repeat until all of the tortillas are placed in the dish. Pour the remaining mole sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the cheese. Top with the green onions.
• Bake until heated through and the cheese melts, about 15 minutes. To serve, transfer 2 enchiladas each onto 6 plates and top each with a couple of avocado slices.