Traditional sauce of Mexican cuisine. Mole refers to a variety of sauces mainly from the Puebla and Oaxaca region. Legend has it that in the colonial times when the archbishop was coming to visit a convent in Puebla, the nuns panicked as they didn’t have much to feed the archbishop. They gathered what they had including nuts, spices, chilis, day old bread and even some chocolate. Cooked it into a sauce and served it over turkey. The archbishop loved it and asked what it was and a nun replied “I made a mole”, mole meaning mix. Today mole is used to describe a sauce.
Traditionally served over turkey however it pairs well with a variety of meats depending on the type of mole. Mole has a wide variety with chilis being the common ingredient. The varieties range from mole amarillo (yellow mole), mole negro (black mole), mole manchamantel (tablecloth stainer mole), mole verde (green mole), mole almendrado (mole with almonds), mole pipián (mole with squash seeds) and more. Our’s is a mole poblano from Puebla and is the best known mole and has been called the national dish of Mexico. It is a perfect balance of chilis, spices, chocolate and sweetness from the added raisins. No need to go to a restaurant to have mole, you can easily make it at home.
Aromatics
1 bulb garlic – 6 cloves per recipe, 1 medium yellow onion per recipe.
Vegetables
1 roma tomato – per recipe.
Liquid
Chicken Stock – 3 cups per recipe or water.
Dry Goods
dark raisins – ½ cup per recipe, creamy peanut butter – ½ cup per recipe or your favorite nut butter.
Protein
of choice.
There are so many ways to enjoy this sauce. Serve it over meat with a side of beans and rice, replace the raisins with cranberries and pair with duck, or for a vegan option make mole enchiladas with spiced black beans as filling. For a quick bite roll up a tortilla with chicken and mole. Can replace peanut butter with butter of choice.
Prep – with scissors cut chilis below the stem and deseed through the opening. Leave seeds in for a spicier sauce. Chop 1 yellow onion, core and cut in half 1 roma tomato, deskin 6 cloves of garlic, measure 1/2 nut butter, 1/2 cup raisins, 3 cups stock or water. Have salt handy.
Cook – Toast whole chilis in a dry skillet over medium high heat. Keep tossing until chilis become really fragrant. About 2-3 mins. Be careful not to burn the chilis.
In a pot over medium low heat simmer chilis, onion, garlic, raisins and roma tomato in 3 cups stock or water until chilis are tender and pliable and raisins are plump. About 15 – 20 mins.
Once simmered blend all ingredients in the blender with 1.5 cups of the simmering liquid and spice packet until smooth. Discard rest of simmering liquid.
Return blended mole to pot and add cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, star anise, and nut butter to pot. Add salt to taste and simmer for 20 minutes on low.
Remove cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves and star anise from the pot.
Now you’re ready to enjoy your mole. Make enchiladas, or pour over your favorite cooked meat or plant based meat.
Servings:Makes 3 cups of sauce.
What is the spice level and flavor profile?
Earthy chilis meet chocolate, mild spices and raisins for sweetness for a rich decadent sauce.
Does it meet my dietary needs and choices?
Control sodium by putting the amount that's right for you.
Use water or chicken stock.
Use sauce in enchiladas stuffed with seasoned black beans for a vegetarian dish or use with your plant based or a variety of meats. Traditionally paired with Turkey. Up to you!
How easy is it to make?
Our instructions are well thought out.
First follow prep instructions and measure everything out and have it ready to go. The French call this Mise en place.
Second, follow the cook instructions.
Third, assemble your dish.
Lastly, enjoy!
What's the shelf life? Kit and cooked product.
You can find the shelf life of the kit on the sticker on the bag. It will have the batch number and a best by date.
Leftover Mole sauce can be stored in the freezer for 2 months and refrigerated for 7-10 days.
