Comments on: the Mole that Almost Won http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/ a good girl's notebook of her culinary world Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:04:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kat http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/comment-page-1/#comment-104386 Kat Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:05:03 +0000 http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/#comment-104386 THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS RECIPE!!! I used this in one of my collage food classes mid-terms & i one first place! This is the most traditionally BEST recipe (not the easiest) i have EVER tasted but you have to make sure that after you make it, you let it sit in a refrigerate over night... it makes it taste alot better. And if you dont add the chocolate then it would make SUPER enchilada sauce or go with some chx or beef The chilies really make this recipy do not substitute! THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS RECIPE!!! I used this in one of my collage food classes mid-terms & i one first place! This is the most traditionally BEST recipe (not the easiest) i have EVER tasted but you have to make sure that after you make it, you let it sit in a refrigerate over night… it makes it taste alot better. And if you dont add the chocolate then it would make SUPER enchilada sauce or go with some chx or beef

The chilies really make this recipy
do not substitute!

]]> By: MoM http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/comment-page-1/#comment-2272 MoM Sun, 06 Nov 2005 00:44:28 +0000 http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/#comment-2272 Ok, Jocie, remind me to give you the BEST Mole recipe ever. It's for Chicken Mole and I got it from Maria's Mom the last time I saw her in Del Rio. Maria translated and I wrote. Her mom had 'left overs' available when we got home from the airport. ...served with steamed corn tortillas, YUM! Ok, Jocie, remind me to give you the BEST Mole recipe ever. It’s for Chicken Mole and I got it from Maria’s Mom the last time I saw her in Del Rio. Maria translated and I wrote. Her mom had ‘left overs’ available when we got home from the airport. …served with steamed corn tortillas, YUM!

]]> By: DaveO http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/comment-page-1/#comment-2264 DaveO Fri, 04 Nov 2005 20:42:35 +0000 http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/#comment-2264 I love Mole! And I've been long daunted by it. It's definitely been one of my food nemesises. I made a mole base (Oaxacan, I think) back in March from a recipe that was designed to ultimately feed like 50. I made it more managable by strategically halving most of the ingredients ( I'll never reduce the amount of garlic a recipe calls for). I also made a green curry paste from scratch that week. Must've been a phase! And I stored the unused mole base in my freezer with reasonable success. But I'd suggest not keeping it much longer than 3 months in a self-defrosting freezer... One thing I found was that the dried thyme and oregano I used were unexpectedly potent, to the overall detriment of the sauce I ultimately made. Thus, I haven't revisited it since. Having read about your experiences, I'm inspired to try again. But I'm inclined to use the Dagoba Oaxacan chocolate bars. Yes, I am that kinky. Also, I was lucky enough to find all the varieties of dried peppers the recipe called for (and loads more) at an excellent local produce market here in Portland, called Big City Produce. The peppers I bought came from Julia's Spices, Inc. based in El Monte, CA. I love Mole! And I’ve been long daunted by it. It’s definitely been one of my food nemesises.

I made a mole base (Oaxacan, I think) back in March from a recipe that was designed to ultimately feed like 50. I made it more managable by strategically halving most of the ingredients ( I’ll never reduce the amount of garlic a recipe calls for).

I also made a green curry paste from scratch that week. Must’ve been a phase!

And I stored the unused mole base in my freezer with reasonable success. But I’d suggest not keeping it much longer than 3 months in a self-defrosting freezer…

One thing I found was that the dried thyme and oregano I used were unexpectedly potent, to the overall detriment of the sauce I ultimately made. Thus, I haven’t revisited it since.

Having read about your experiences, I’m inspired to try again. But I’m inclined to use the Dagoba Oaxacan chocolate bars. Yes, I am that kinky.

Also, I was lucky enough to find all the varieties of dried peppers the recipe called for (and loads more) at an excellent local produce market here in Portland, called Big City Produce. The peppers I bought came from Julia’s Spices, Inc. based in El Monte, CA.

]]> By: Judah http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/comment-page-1/#comment-2232 Judah Tue, 01 Nov 2005 19:45:50 +0000 http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/#comment-2232 I've always been a bit afraid of Mole as it is the one and only dish that my mother tried to make that ended up completely inedible. She was not a gourmet cook but she was generally pretty solid at what she tried. After that one experiment, we were off of mole for good. Perhaps its time to revisit the issue and confront the ghosts of mole's past. <ul> <li><em>You know where to find me! And really, I have soooo much mole. We should bake some chicken in it and have a margarita and mole night to toast Adelaide (Judah's Mom). And maybe some drinkable fudge? :) --McAuliflower</em></li></ul> I’ve always been a bit afraid of Mole as it is the one and only dish that my mother tried to make that ended up completely inedible. She was not a gourmet cook but she was generally pretty solid at what she tried. After that one experiment, we were off of mole for good. Perhaps its time to revisit the issue and confront the ghosts of mole’s past.

  • You know where to find me! And really, I have soooo much mole. We should bake some chicken in it and have a margarita and mole night to toast Adelaide (Judah’s Mom). And maybe some drinkable fudge? :)

    –McAuliflower

]]> By: Sheri http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/comment-page-1/#comment-2211 Sheri Tue, 01 Nov 2005 04:16:45 +0000 http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/#comment-2211 My friend Amy sent me your link on mole. I had fun reading it, and comparing notes! She and I made mole together in January, and it was quite a task. We chose a Rick Bayless recipe. I can't imagine making it by myself, and in one night no less! Our adventure is described here: <a href="http://www.porkcracklins.net/archives/000216.html">Mole Poblano</a> <ul> <li><em>You know, I think I have that Fine Cooking magazine! I still haven't baked much with my sauce though, I think the chiles have transfered their taunting power to the mole itself. I enjoyed reading your mole posting. --McAuliflower</em></li></ul> My friend Amy sent me your link on mole. I had fun reading it, and comparing notes! She and I made mole together in January, and it was quite a task. We chose a Rick Bayless recipe. I can’t imagine making it by myself, and in one night no less! Our adventure is described here: Mole Poblano

  • You know, I think I have that Fine Cooking magazine! I still haven’t baked much with my sauce though, I think the chiles have transfered their taunting power to the mole itself. I enjoyed reading your mole posting.

    –McAuliflower

]]> By: LisaSD http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/comment-page-1/#comment-2176 LisaSD Sun, 30 Oct 2005 22:05:53 +0000 http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/#comment-2176 Wow! I am quite impressed at this effort AND the fact that you pulled it off with a little twist at the end. I, too, know what it's like to have chiles taunting you, but I chickened out. I had considered mole for SHF 13 too, and ended up going traditional dessert-y. I'm glad you tried the mole and that I found your entry! Wow! I am quite impressed at this effort AND the fact that you pulled it off with a little twist at the end. I, too, know what it’s like to have chiles taunting you, but I chickened out. I had considered mole for SHF 13 too, and ended up going traditional dessert-y. I’m glad you tried the mole and that I found your entry!

]]> By: Nic http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/comment-page-1/#comment-2156 Nic Fri, 28 Oct 2005 20:45:00 +0000 http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/#comment-2156 I must admit that I am incredibly impressed. I've wanted to make mole for so long, but am totally paralised by the time, complexity and sheer number of ingedients. Really fantastic job, Mcauliflower! <ul> <li><em>Thanks Nic. Really, its the recipe and not me ;) I do recommend gathering everything on one day and then approaching the making on another day. The difficult part of this recipe is that everything wants to be toasted/cooked and then pureed in the blender. This can make for interesting pan juggling. --McAuliflower</em></li> </ul> I must admit that I am incredibly impressed. I’ve wanted to make mole for so long, but am totally paralised by the time, complexity and sheer number of ingedients. Really fantastic job, Mcauliflower!

  • Thanks Nic. Really, its the recipe and not me ;) I do recommend gathering everything on one day and then approaching the making on another day. The difficult part of this recipe is that everything wants to be toasted/cooked and then pureed in the blender. This can make for interesting pan juggling.

    –McAuliflower

]]> By: Melissa http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/comment-page-1/#comment-2138 Melissa Fri, 28 Oct 2005 11:12:26 +0000 http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2005/10/27/the-mole-that-almost-won/#comment-2138 I found the Dagoba recipe and my eyes almost popped out of my head at the mention of all those chilies... but did you see that it feeds 20 people? I also noticed that it's a recipe for Oaxacan black mole, which Rick Bayless claims to be the most complex and difficult of all, with many of the essential chile components being unavailable outside Oaxaca. So just as well you didn't attempt it! Yours looks fantastic - very inspired addition of prunes, I'll have to try it! <ul> <li><em>Oh, good reminder about servings- the batch I made probably could feed just as many. I think it largely depends on how thick/thin you make it. The next day, it had set up into a thick paste. I've been scooping it out by 1/3 cup and thinning in down with water (since this monster of a recipe ate up all my stock! Come on pay-day!). I seriously contemplated that Oaxacan Recipe. I even tried to find others online to double check the chile quantities. Oddly, the others I found via Google, all had the same typos! Hrmmm. One other thought I had is that the Dagoba recipe doesn't specify whether they are talking about fresh chiles vs dried ones. I could definiately understand the 1 lb measurement with that switch-er-ooo. The Oaxacan Black Mole is made black by a lengthier fry of the chiles in the first step. Supposedly the chiles aren't made bitter due to the soaking and softening step. It was fun playing with the chile colors durin this. When dried they all look black. The fried that same black-red color, yet when I strained them after soaking, their "fresh" colors came back! I had bits of tomato red and dark green chile bits to strain out with no hint of black at all. --McAuliflower</em></li></ul> I found the Dagoba recipe and my eyes almost popped out of my head at the mention of all those chilies… but did you see that it feeds 20 people? I also noticed that it’s a recipe for Oaxacan black mole, which Rick Bayless claims to be the most complex and difficult of all, with many of the essential chile components being unavailable outside Oaxaca. So just as well you didn’t attempt it! Yours looks fantastic – very inspired addition of prunes, I’ll have to try it!

  • Oh, good reminder about servings- the batch I made probably could feed just as many. I think it largely depends on how thick/thin you make it. The next day, it had set up into a thick paste. I’ve been scooping it out by 1/3 cup and thinning in down with water (since this monster of a recipe ate up all my stock! Come on pay-day!).

    I seriously contemplated that Oaxacan Recipe. I even tried to find others online to double check the chile quantities. Oddly, the others I found via Google, all had the same typos! Hrmmm. One other thought I had is that the Dagoba recipe doesn’t specify whether they are talking about fresh chiles vs dried ones. I could definiately understand the 1 lb measurement with that switch-er-ooo.

    The Oaxacan Black Mole is made black by a lengthier fry of the chiles in the first step. Supposedly the chiles aren’t made bitter due to the soaking and softening step. It was fun playing with the chile colors durin this. When dried they all look black. The fried that same black-red color, yet when I strained them after soaking, their “fresh” colors came back! I had bits of tomato red and dark green chile bits to strain out with no hint of black at all.

    –McAuliflower

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