On Tue 15 Feb 2005 03:09:12a, Bob wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> I've been watching the latest series of "Iron Chef America" (I
> particularly enjoyed the one where Ming Tsai beat Bobby Flay). I record
> the show on my DVR, and I generally pause it when the theme ingredient
> is announced. Then I make up a menu of dishes I'd make if *I* was in the
> competition. Usually, my items bear at least a passing resemblance to
> dishes made by one or both chefs.
>
> This latest episode has me saying, "Hmm...." There were two theme
> ingredients, chocolate and coconut, but there was also a twist: At least
> three dishes had to be savory rather than dessert. I was a bit taken
> aback to see that none of my choices were anything CLOSE to what was
> made by either chef. Here's the menu I came up with:
>
> Two soups, served in two separate cups (I've got teacups that are just
> the right size: they're bigger than demitasse cups but smaller than most
> coffee cups): Shrimp-Coconut Soup and Turkey-Mole Soup. The shrimp soup
> is based on a Thai coconut-milk soup with chicken. And for those who
> don't know, "mole" is a complex Mexican sauce; the recipe I have in mind
> contains garlic, onions, green peppers, almonds, raisins, cumin, nutmeg,
> cloves, cinnamon, unsweetened chocolate, and orange peel.
>
> Cocoa-Pastry Empanadas with Ham, Mango, and Coconut filling: I'd use
> diced fresh coconut rather than shredded. This would be accompanied by
> an Apricot-Ginger sauce.
>
> Lime-Grilled Chicken Skewers with a Coconut-Peanut-Cocoa Dipping Sauce:
> The chicken is basted with sweetened lime juice while cooking, and the
> sauce is made by incorporating cocoa powder into an Indonesian sate
> sauce recipe.
>
> Cocoa-Crusted Tilapia with Yellow Curry (which contains both coconut and
> coconut milk)
>
> Caramelized banana with a scoop each of coconut ice cream and chocolate
> ice cream, with a syrup made from reducing orange juice, topped with
> whipped cream and sprinkled with grated chocolate and toasted shredded
> coconut
>
>
> So what would the culinary gurus in this group have made?
>
> Bob

I don't think I could top the list you just presented! Everything sounds
delicious.

Could you post your molé sauce recipe? I haven't made molé in a long time
and never did have a really good recipe.

TIA
Wayne