Poblano-Chocolate Mole Sauce

For The Love Of Chocolate: Poblano-Chocolate Mole Sauce

Emeril Lagasse…..the man who made me start shouting “bam” as I add spices to my meals. This weird habit would get strange looks when I was sitting in a restaurant and put a little hot sauce on my meal. Just kidding, I wouldn’t do that in public….especially if my teenagers were around as I wouldn’t want to embarrass them! Just kidding, back to the cookbook. It was published back in Emeril’s haydays of 2001. He to me really was the first celebrity chef that hit it big on the Food Network. Who didn’t enjoy watching a little Emeril on a Friday night? But I only now see glimpses of Emeril on the new Cooking channel. This cookbook is still full of good Emeril recipes like Hot Corn Dip with Crispy Tortilla Chips……Andouille Potato Salad…..or what I made Poblano Chocolate Mole. The cookbook has several pictures…..of Emeril.

Poblano’s long use to be a fear of mine…..they looked so intimidating when the recipe said to char them and peel the skin. But one day I decided to take the plunge and made my friend Sara’s Poblano Zuchini soup and my love affair has not stopped since. Sara and her hubby Eric’s catering business also introduced me to my first taste of “mole” (pronounced moh-ley). This sounds so exotic! Mole is a spicy sauce flavored with chocolate, usually served with turkey or chicken, or as we served it with a pork tenderloin. It was like destiny that I made this sauce. I had conquered my fear of the poblano so I think I can make the mole.

If you have never cooked with poblano’s before, here is a cautionary tale. Do not touch your eyes or lips after handling them. They are hot and your lips will tingle after you touch them. I really need to invest in some gloves that I wear while cutting peppers. I could get seriously hurt one of these days. I have already been to the ER with a papercut to my eye so I know a poblano burn is in my near future!

This took some time to make, but I think it was well worth the effort. I do not have a gas stove, so I roasted my peppers in a pan under the broiler….make sure to watch them. I purchased a pork tenderloin and baked it with the sauce on top of it. I also poured some of the sauce on once it was sliced and on our plates as well. You could make this dish vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Even the youngest child tried it. See, he likes spicy foods. He puts tabasco sauce on chips as an afterschool snack. Nothing is too hot for this boy.

My only other adjustment would be that the sauce needed to cook a little longer, as I like my mole thick like Mosaic Catering had made it.

Poblano-Chocolate Mole, page 184

Ingredients:

• 1 pound poblano chilies
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and halved (root ends left on)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup pistachio nuts
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups Chicken Stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. To roast the peppers, place them directly on the burners of a gas stove over medium heat and turn them frequently with tongs until all sides are charred black, 7 to 10 minutes. (Alternatively, the peppers can be roasted under a broiler, or over a hot gas or charcoal grill.) Transfer the peppers to a plastic or paper bag, seal the bag, and let cool for about 15 minutes.
2. Roast the two onion halves over medium heat, using the same procedure, until the cut surfaces are lightly charred and the onion is slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
3. Peel the peppers, remove the seeds and stems, and coarsely chop the flesh. Remove the root ends for the onions and coarsely chop them. (The chopped peppers and onion will yield about 2 cups.)
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the pistachio nuts, pumpkin seeds, and pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are browned, about 5 minutes. (The nuts will make popping sounds as they cook.) Cover the skillet if the nuts start to jump out of the skillet.
5. Add the chopped peppers and onions, the chili powder, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper and stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and cilantro and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Add the cream, stir well, and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
7. Puree the mole with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender. Serve warm.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

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