5 Easy Mole Day Recipes

These 5 easy mole recipes (a blend of dried chiles, chocolate, and nuts) turn any table into a celebration of this exotic dish. If you like mole, you will be surprised to learn that you need only one container of commercial mole, plus two ingredients to achieve exceptional mole. 

Basic Mole Sauce

This basic mole sauce is the basis of all the following recipes.  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of commercial mole. Buy an 8.25 oz container of Mexican mole. Don’t confuse it with adobo or green mole. It will say “mole” or “mole poblano.”
• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 4 or 5 tbs chocolate syrup (the one used with ice-cream).
• 3/4 cup water, to start. (A little more  may be needed, as you cook).

1. Put ½ cup of mole paste in a saucepan.
2. Add water, and press the mole paste with a fork, trying to soften it.
3. Continue mixing the mole and water with the forkover medium heat until dissolved. Add more water, if needed.
4. Add the peanut butter, blend it with the mole sauce. A little water may be needed.
5. Add chocolate syrup, mixing thoroughly. Allow it to cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Taste the mole. Evaluate the flavor and thickness: extra chocolate syrup will sweeter the sauce, while more peanut butter will decrease the sweetness.
7. Mole sauce must be thick, but malleable and smooth.

Mole With Chicken

Ingredients:

• Basic mole sauce
• Cooked pieces of chicken (for a vegetarian option use fake chicken).
• Sesame seeds 

1. Place a warmed chicken leg or breast on a plate.
2. Cover it with mole sauce.
3. Sprinkle a splash of sesame seeds.

 Mole Chilaquiles

Ingredients:

• Basic mole sauce
• 8 corn tortillas
• Olive oil
• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream
• Lettuce, finely chopped
• Onion, sliced

1. Lightly coat a skillet with olive oil.
2. Place it over medium heat.
3. Cut the tortillas into two inch pieces.
4. Saute the tortillas, until soft.
5. Transfer the tortillas onto a plate.
6. Pour the mole sauce over the tortillas.
7. Garnish with sour cream, the lettuce, onion and cheese.

Mole Enchiladas   

Ingredients:

• Basic mole sauce
• 6 corn tortillas
• Olive oil
• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream
• Lettuce, sliced

1. Lightly coat a skillet with olive oil over medium heat.
2. Saute both sides of the tortillas, until soft.
3. Fold the tortillas in half; place two of them in a plate.
4. Cover the tortillas with mole sauce, using a ladle.
5. Garnish with sour cream, lettuce, and onion.

 Note:

•  If you want to stuff the enchiladas with refried beans, cheese, or shredded breast of chicken, add these ingredients while the tortillas are still in the skillet.

Mole Enchiladas With Ground Beef

Ingredients:

• Basic mole sauce
• Corn tortillas
• Ground beef (for a vegetarian alternative, use soy meat).
• Onion, finely chopped
• Olive oil
• Raisins
• Dried berries of your choice
• Pecans and walnuts, chopped
• An apple, cut into small cubes

 Ground Beef Filling

1. Saute the onion in a large skillet, until transparent.
2. Add the ground beef and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the raisins, dried berries, pecans, walnuts, and apple.
4. Cook it for 10 minutes over low heat.

 Stuffing the Echiladas

1. Coat a skillet with olive oil.
2. Sauté both sides of one tortilla.
3. Place one tbs of ground beef filling on half of the tortilla.
4. Fold over the other half of the tortilla.
5. Transfer onto a plate.
6. Pour mole over the enchiladas.
7. Garnish with sour cream, lettuce, onion and cheese.

 For a mole fan, this is truly a delicacy. 

Tips:

• Consume some salad with the mole.
• Mole sauce can become too thick or dried. This is normal. Add water to thin it.
• Explore the differences in taste: more chocolate syrup will make your mole sweeter, more peanut butter will change the flavor a little, but both are delicious.
• The basic mole sauce content  provided makes 8 enchiladas.