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Meat recipes that have chocolate in them have aroused much attention. Little do most people know that these chocolate-related recipes have been around for many years. Since the Aztecs valued the chocolates so much and believed in its power-harnessing abilities, they've used chocolate in practically everything!
Imagine this: your favorite meat and the luxurious taste of fine, smooth chocolate combined in one recipe that would leave you mouth-watering. We have all that here in Mole.
A Saucy History
Mole is Mexican delicacy that is Aztec in origin. It came from the word Molli, which means sauce. It wasn't until mid-17th century that chocolates were added to mole and we now know them Mole Poblano.
Chocolate Mole instantly became a sensation, a staple during the holidays and special occasions, that it eventually became a national dish. It is normally served as a sauce for chickens and has bittersweet, nutty and spicy flavors.
The Hot Ingredient
Mole is mainly made up of about 10-30 ingredients, most of which are spices – specifically chilies. Varieties such as Pasillas, Guajillos, Chipotles, Anchos and Mulatos are commonly used each giving out very different flavors that when mixed is simply scrumptious.
Other ingredients may include Ceylon Cinnamon from Mexico which is also called canela, a type of sugar called Pilloncillo, plaintains, pineapples, ground nuts. You may replace raisins with dried apricots, tortillas instead of almonds, or yams instead of plaintain.
Toast them Chilies
The secret in successfully bringing out that nutty, charred flavor in mole is to partially burn most of its ingredients. Nuts, chilies and all the other spices need to be toasted on a pan, while tomatoes have to be charred until their skins are dark.
Other Mole Recipes
Mole Verde
Ingredients such as cilantro, tomatillos, epazote, Romaine Lettuce, and pumpkin seeds give this recipe its distinct green color.
Mole Coloradito
Spices include almonds, sesame seeds, garlic, Ancho, Pasillas, or Guajillo chilies banana, sugar, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, garlic and crackers. The color should be rich red.
Mole Rojo
Mole Rojo is much like Mole Coloradito but lighter in color. Do not be mistaken of its lightness, though, because Rojo is much spicier! Use the same ingredients as coloradito but add more chilies, onion, pecans, and chocolate.
Mole Amarillo
The ingredients to make this mole are garlic, cumin, onion, cilantro, black, pepper, Ancho, Guajillo and Costeno chilies, chilcoxle, hoja santa and green tomatoes.
Mole Chichilo
This variety has a distinct ashy flavor to it. The chilies used in this dish are pasilla, Chilguacle Negro and Mulato. For anise flavor, they use avocado leaves.
Mole Mancha Manteles
You often see this mole partnered with pineapple or plaintain and has a strong Ancho flavor.
Mole de Cacahuete
The mole you add to chicken is literally a peanut sauce mixed with chilies.
Today, moles are readily available at local supermarkets and specialty stores and usually come in bottles of green, yellow or blackish paste. Although popular as sauce for various preparations of poultry, any other meat could do well with a little mole flavor. This delicacy is popular at weddings, holidays, Cinco de Mayo and Quincenneras . The Mexicans also offer Mole to their dead during Dia de los Muertos.
Clearly the world just couldn't stop thinking of many ways to use chocolates. Any excuse to lavish in this tasty delicacy seems appropriate! As if picking out bags of chocolates weren't enough, this delightful piece of heaven has also found its way to our kitchen as exciting, uncommon but sumptuous chocolate-related recipes!
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