2nd installment on the smackdown challenge going on over at abf.

I'm participating in a food challenge and chose to make mole. The
challenge is to cook something out of your comfort zone, or use
ingredients you are unfamiliar with.

I've always wanted to try my hand at making mole and this was the
perfect time to try it.

Tonight was toasting night.

According to the recipe, toasting the seeds from the chiles can be
overpowering so I toasted them on the side burner of my good ol'
grill.

http://i18.tinypic.com/47b91y8.jpg

It's a good thing I cooked them outdoors. Don't stand down wind of the
burner.

http://i19.tinypic.com/2l8cfoz.jpg

Chile seeds, nice and toasted. They flipped easily in the pan. I just
did a little shaking and flipping.

http://i15.tinypic.com/2cxfhvk.jpg

It was so nice out, I fixed myself a gin and tonic and toasted the
chiles outdoors also.

http://i19.tinypic.com/446uq2g.jpg

Back inside I toasted the sesame seeds, peanuts, almonds and pecans.
Some recipes called for pumpkin seeds, but I decided to use them the
next time I make mole.

http://i16.tinypic.com/42k5gur.jpg


The chiles and chile seeds needed to be soaked. The chiles soaked for
half an hour in hot boiling water, and the seeds in room temp water
for an hour and a half with two changes of water.

http://i15.tinypic.com/2gsfre9.jpg

Tomorrow, the fruit and pureeing.

The aromas are incredible.

I'm sure glad I put a chicken in the crockpot this morning. Now I get
to sit down, read the group and have some dinner.

Hope you are enjoying this journey as much as I am.

Koko

--
New blog in progress
http://kokoscorner.blogspot.com
updated 2/25

"There is no love more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw

In article >,
Koko > wrote:

> Hope you are enjoying this journey as much as I am.
>
> Koko

I'm watching it over on a.b.f. ;-)

Meanwhile, I'm starting my second pressure cooker for the P'tcha.
The cooker was not large enough for _two_ calves feet and all the
additions. I still have to de-bone the first pot. I'm warming it up so
that I can! That stuff sets up _hard_!

I also have to de-fat yesterday's jell broth. All of it will have to be
re-warmed and re-filtered thru a finer substrate, probably muslin or a
finer screen. I won't use a coffee filter as that would take too long.

The fine screen coffee filter I use to filter deep frying oil might work
tho'. It needs a bit of clarifying.

I have the romaine to serve it on but I need to go buy more tomatoes.
Too early for garden ones unfortunately. Might add avocado too.
--
Peace, Om

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"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson