Directions for: Mole Stew
Ingredients
Mole Stew: Meat and Vegetable1 lb(s) stewing beef, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 lb(s) pork ribs or backbone (espinazo), cut into 2-inch slices
Salt to taste
3 chayotes, cut into long slices
2 lb(s) small potatoes
1 lb(s) string beans, trimmed and cut in 3 inch slices
Mole Stew5 chiles chilhuacles negros (1 ounce), seeded, stemmed and deveined; save the seeds
5 chiles guajillos (1 ounces), seeded, stemmed and deveined; save the seeds
2 lb(s) ripe tomatoes (4 medium to large round or 16 to 20 plum)
2 oz tomatillos (about 3 medium), husked
1 white onion (3 ounces), chunked
1 heads garlic, cloves separated
1 tortilla
1 Tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
2 Tbsp raisins
2 Tbsp almonds
2 whole allspice
2 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 whole clove
1 piece Mexican cinnamon stick, 2 inches long
1 sprig Oaxacan oregano or teaspoon dried
1 sprig thyme or a pinch of dried
1 sprig marjoram or teaspoon dried
2 Tbsp lard, sunflower or vegetable oil
4 oz prepared masa for tortillas, or cup masa harina for tortillas mixed with cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
3 avocado leaves, fresh or dried
1 medium white onions (about 6 ounces)
2 chiles de agua, or other fresh green chiles, roasted and peeled
1 tsp dried Oaxacan oregano
2 limes, juiced
Salt to taste
Directions
Mole Stew: Meat and Vegetable1. for the stock:In a 6-quart stockpot, bring 5 quarts water and the seasonings for beef stock to a boil following the directions in the recipe for Caldo de Res. once boiling, add the beef chunks and return to a boil. Skim off the top when foam appears and discard. Cover the pot, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook about 1 hours. Add the pork ribs and continue to cook 1 hour more, or until the meats are soft. Add salt. Remove the meat from the stock. Cook the chayotes, potatoes, and beans in the stock, each separately, until done. Remove the vegetables and set aside. Reserve the stock.
Mole Stew1. Bring 2 cups of water to boil. Toast the chiles on a 10-inch dry comal, griddle or cast iron frying pan, over medium heat until they start to blister and give off their aroma, about 4 minutes. Soak the chiles in the hot water for 20 minutes, or until soft. Drain the chiles, reserving the water. Blend the chiles in a blender, using as little of the chile water as needed to turn the blades of the blender. after blending the chiles, pass them through a strainer or food mill, to remove the skins. Set aside.
2. on the comal, grill tomatoes and tomatillos over medium heat until soft, about 15 minutes. Grill the onion and garlic until clear, about 15 minutes. Puree tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a blender with cup of reserved stock and pass through a food mill or sieve to remove skins and seeds. Set aside.
3. on the same comal over low to medium heat, toast the tortilla until it browns on both sides. then place the chile seeds on top of the tortilla and blacken them well, about 30 minutes. (We usually ignite the seeds and let them burn out.) Place the blackened tortilla and chile seeds in 3 cups of cold water to soak, about 10 minutes. Strain the tortilla and seed mixture and discard the water. Add fresh water to cover, then soak the seed mixture again for 10 minutes. Grind the seed mixture separately in the blender until smooth, using only enough water to turn the blades of the blender. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.
4. in an 8-inch cast-iron frying pan over medium heat, use the tablespoon of oil and fry the raisins, almonds, allspice, cumin, clove, cinnamon, oregano, thyme and marjoram, about 10 minutes, until a nutty brown. Grind the spice mixture in a blender with cup of stock.
5. Heat the lard in a heavy 6-quart stockpot, and fry the chile pure well, about 15 minutes, until it dries out a bit. Add the tomato mixture and spice mixture and fry well, about 15 minutes. Stir the seed mixture and fry 15 minutes more. Add 2 cups of beef stock to thin the sauce, now referred to as mole. Add the masa and 2 cups of stock to the blender and blend well; add to the mole and cook, stirring 20 minutes. Add salt.
6. Toast the avocado leaves over the flame on a gas stove or in a hot dry frying pan until they give off their aroma and add them, whole, to the mole. Add 2 cups more of the beef stock little by little as the mole thickens. Simmer the mole for 30 minutes. Add the cooked vegetables to the mole. then add the pork and beef pieces and heat through. if it gets too thick, add more meat stock, so the mole just coats the back of a spoon, no more.
7. for the garnish:Cut the onions in half. Place on a cutting board and cut lengthwise strips of onion. Slice the roasted and peeled chile de agua into inch lengthwise strips. Place in a small mixing bowl,add oregano and cover with lime juice. Add salt.
8. to serve: Place a piece of beef and pork and the vegetables on each plate. Serve a spoonful of mole on top. Top with escabeche, and serve with plenty of fresh corn tortillas.
See more: Dinner, Slow Cook, Soup, Mexican, Beef, Main, Vegetables