What kind of chiles and vegetable base is in mole negro? I see dried
mulato chiles in the store, as well as guero chiles, but what chile is
black?

The Galloping Gourmand wrote:
> What kind of chiles and vegetable base is in mole negro? I see dried
> mulato chiles in the store, as well as guero chiles, but what chile is
> black?

(Black Mole from Oaxaca)
>From Chile Pepper Magazine, Jan 95

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut into eight pieces
*6 C chicken stock
5 chilhuacle negro chiles, or substitute ancho chiles**, seeded,
stemmed
5 guajillo chiles, or substitute dried New Mex. chiles, seeded, stemmed

4 pasilla chiles, seeded, stemmed
4 mulatto chiles, or use ancho, seeded, stemmed
2 chipotle chiles, seeded, stemmed
1 medium white onion, cut in quarters
6 cloves garlic
2 Tbs whole almonds
2 Tbs shelled, skinned peanuts
2-4 Tbs lard*** (or use vegetable oil if you must)
2 tsp raisins
1 slice bread (prefer Challa or egg bread)
1 small ripe plantain, or use a small banana
1/2 C sesame seeds
2 pecan halves
1" Mexican cinnamon stick
2 whole peppercorns
2 whole cloves
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
5 fresh tomatillos, chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bar, or to taste of Ibarra chocolate, or other Mexican chocolate
1 avocado leaf, omit or use bay leaf
salt to taste
fresh tortillas
Procedu

Simmer the chicken in the stock until tender, about 30 min. Remove,
keep warm and reserve stock
Toast the chiles, or fry them in lard, until just darkened -- don't let
them burn. Place in bowl, cover with hot water until soft, about 30
min.
Puree chiles in blender, adding the soaking water if needed to form a
paste.
Roast the garlic and onion in the same pan until slightly brown, then
remove.
Toast the almonds and peanuts slightly, remove.
Toast the chile seeds until dark but don't let burn.
Heat 2 Tbs lard in skillet and fry raisins until plump, remove and
drain.
Fry bread until brown, remove.
Fry plantains until brown, remove.
Add more lard if needed, and fry sesame seeds at low heat until
slightly brown, stirring often.
Add pecans, brown and remove and drain.
Toast the cinnamon, peppercorns and cloves lightly in a dry pan. Let
cool, and grind in a molcajete or grinder.
In a blender or processor puree nuts, sesame seeds, bread and pecans;
use small batches if needed.
Add onions, garlic, plantains and puree. Remove, then puree tomatoes
and tomatillos.
Heat the remaining lard in a large heavy pot and fry the chile paste
until dry, but don't let it burn.
Add tomato puree and fry until liquid is gone.
Add ground spices, nut/bread mixture, pureed onion mixture, oregano and
thyme.
Heat to a simmer while stirring constantly, add chocolate.
Toast the avocado leaf over open flame briefly, then add to mixture.
Slowly add reserved chicken stock to mixture until mixture will just
coat a spoon.
Salt to taste.
Simmer for 5 min, then add chicken and heat thru.
Serve with tortillas and spoon over with the sauce!
Yield: 4-6 servings
(*Note 1: This is your basic chicken stock with onions, garlic, carrots
celery, bay leaf and thyme, plus 1 allspice berry, 1 clove and 1 whole
chile de arbol.)

(**Note 2: For all chiles, save the seeds. Substituted chiles are more
readily available in the US.)

(***Note 3: Lard is essential for the best flavor. Turkey is
traditional, a small amount of beef and pork are also used to enhance
flavor.)

Posted, but not authored by Jack Tyler

"Jack Tyler" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> The Galloping Gourmand wrote:
> > What kind of chiles and vegetable base is in mole negro? I see dried
> > mulato chiles in the store, as well as guero chiles, but what chile is
> > black?
>
> (Black Mole from Oaxaca)
> >From Chile Pepper Magazine, Jan 95
>
> Ingredients:
>
> 1 whole chicken, cut into eight pieces
> *6 C chicken stock
> 5 chilhuacle negro chiles, or substitute ancho chiles**, seeded,
> stemmed
> 5 guajillo chiles, or substitute dried New Mex. chiles, seeded, stemmed
>
> 4 pasilla chiles, seeded, stemmed
> 4 mulatto chiles, or use ancho, seeded, stemmed
> 2 chipotle chiles, seeded, stemmed
> 1 medium white onion, cut in quarters
> 6 cloves garlic
> 2 Tbs whole almonds
> 2 Tbs shelled, skinned peanuts
> 2-4 Tbs lard*** (or use vegetable oil if you must)
> 2 tsp raisins
> 1 slice bread (prefer Challa or egg bread)
> 1 small ripe plantain, or use a small banana
> 1/2 C sesame seeds
> 2 pecan halves
> 1" Mexican cinnamon stick
> 2 whole peppercorns
> 2 whole cloves
> 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
> 5 fresh tomatillos, chopped
> 1/2 tsp dried oregano
> 1/2 tsp dried thyme
> 1 bar, or to taste of Ibarra chocolate, or other Mexican chocolate
> 1 avocado leaf, omit or use bay leaf
> salt to taste
> fresh tortillas
> Procedu
>
> Simmer the chicken in the stock until tender, about 30 min. Remove,
> keep warm and reserve stock
> Toast the chiles, or fry them in lard, until just darkened -- don't let
> them burn. Place in bowl, cover with hot water until soft, about 30
> min.
> Puree chiles in blender, adding the soaking water if needed to form a
> paste.
> Roast the garlic and onion in the same pan until slightly brown, then
> remove.
> Toast the almonds and peanuts slightly, remove.
> Toast the chile seeds until dark but don't let burn.
> Heat 2 Tbs lard in skillet and fry raisins until plump, remove and
> drain.
> Fry bread until brown, remove.
> Fry plantains until brown, remove.
> Add more lard if needed, and fry sesame seeds at low heat until
> slightly brown, stirring often.
> Add pecans, brown and remove and drain.
> Toast the cinnamon, peppercorns and cloves lightly in a dry pan. Let
> cool, and grind in a molcajete or grinder.
> In a blender or processor puree nuts, sesame seeds, bread and pecans;
> use small batches if needed.
> Add onions, garlic, plantains and puree. Remove, then puree tomatoes
> and tomatillos.
> Heat the remaining lard in a large heavy pot and fry the chile paste
> until dry, but don't let it burn.
> Add tomato puree and fry until liquid is gone.
> Add ground spices, nut/bread mixture, pureed onion mixture, oregano and
> thyme.
> Heat to a simmer while stirring constantly, add chocolate.
> Toast the avocado leaf over open flame briefly, then add to mixture.
> Slowly add reserved chicken stock to mixture until mixture will just
> coat a spoon.
> Salt to taste.
> Simmer for 5 min, then add chicken and heat thru.
> Serve with tortillas and spoon over with the sauce!
> Yield: 4-6 servings
> (*Note 1: This is your basic chicken stock with onions, garlic, carrots
> celery, bay leaf and thyme, plus 1 allspice berry, 1 clove and 1 whole
> chile de arbol.)
>
> (**Note 2: For all chiles, save the seeds. Substituted chiles are more
> readily available in the US.)
>
> (***Note 3: Lard is essential for the best flavor. Turkey is
> traditional, a small amount of beef and pork are also used to enhance
> flavor.)
>
> Posted, but not authored by Jack Tyler
>
Jack, wherever you found it, it is the best mole recipe I have ever seen.
But to answer the question regardig where the black comes from, I was told
by a real Oaxaca chef that the black comes from burned corn tortillas ground
up in the mix. The burned taste does not come across due to all the other
flavors competing for attention in your taste buds.

Wayne Lundberg wrote:
> Jack, wherever you found it, it is the best mole recipe I have ever seen.
> But to answer the question regardig where the black comes from, I was told
> by a real Oaxaca chef that the black comes from burned corn tortillas ground
> up in the mix. The burned taste does not come across due to all the other
> flavors competing for attention in your taste buds.

"CHILHUACLE NEGRO Heat: 4-5
This prized and very expensive chile is grown, like the related
chilhuacle amarillo, only in southern Mexico. Shiny, dark, mahogany in
color, and shaped like a miniature bell pepper or almost heart shaped.
Measures about 2 to 3 inches long and the same across at the shoulders.
One of the most flavorful of all chiles, it has a deep, intense fruit
flavor, with tones of dried plum, tobacco, and liquorice, and a subtle,
spicy heat. Used to make the black mole sauces that are a specialty of
the Oaxaca region."

The photo of the above chile shows it to be almost black.. hence the
name "negro".

Wherever the black color of the mole comes from... this is where it
gets the name.

Jack

The Galloping Gourmand wrote:
> What kind of chiles and vegetable base is in mole negro? I see dried
> mulato chiles in the store, as well as guero chiles, but what chile is
> black?

http://www.oaxaca-restaurants.com/chiles.htm

The above link describes chiles used in Oaxacan cooking.

Jack

Jack Tyler wrote:

> "CHILHUACLE NEGRO Heat: 4-5
> This prized and very expensive chile is grown, like the related
> chilhuacle amarillo, only in southern Mexico. Shiny, dark, mahogany in
> color, and shaped like a miniature bell pepper or almost heart shaped.
> Measures about 2 to 3 inches long and the same across at the shoulders.
> One of the most flavorful of all chiles, it has a deep, intense fruit
> flavor, with tones of dried plum, tobacco, and liquorice, and a subtle,
> spicy heat. Used to make the black mole sauces that are a specialty of
> the Oaxaca region."

The first time I ate Mole Poblano, in a Rosarito Beach resort, it seems
to have been made with those chilhuacle negro chiles. They made the
mole taste like a cigarette butt had be added to the sauce.

That taste might actually be an aphrodisiac to a guy who would put up
with a girl friend who smoked three packs a day, but not me.
>
> The photo of the above chile shows it to be almost black.. hence the
> name "negro".

It's a very, very dark green, according to one image I found on google..

The Galloping Gourmand wrote:
> It's a very, very dark green, according to one image I found on google..

Don't trust Google... there aren't many Mexicans working there... just
yuppies that eat at Taco Bell. Actually, it's a very dark reddish
brown. The one on Google may not have been fully ripe.

Jack

"Jack Tyler" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Wayne Lundberg wrote:
>> Jack, wherever you found it, it is the best mole recipe I have ever seen.
>> But to answer the question regardig where the black comes from, I was
>> told
>> by a real Oaxaca chef that the black comes from burned corn tortillas
>> ground
>> up in the mix. The burned taste does not come across due to all the other
>> flavors competing for attention in your taste buds.
>
> "CHILHUACLE NEGRO Heat: 4-5
> This prized and very expensive chile is grown, like the related
> chilhuacle amarillo, only in southern Mexico. Shiny, dark, mahogany in
> color, and shaped like a miniature bell pepper or almost heart shaped.
> Measures about 2 to 3 inches long and the same across at the shoulders.
> One of the most flavorful of all chiles, it has a deep, intense fruit
> flavor, with tones of dried plum, tobacco, and liquorice, and a subtle,
> spicy heat. Used to make the black mole sauces that are a specialty of
> the Oaxaca region."
>
> The photo of the above chile shows it to be almost black.. hence the
> name "negro".
>
> Wherever the black color of the mole comes from... this is where it
> gets the name.
>
> Jack

Jack, You do make your points well and very succinct I might add.