The Art of Mole Rojo
Brian demonstrated his art of mole rojo (red mole) for my family last week when we were in Maryland. He had only first shared his gift for making the traditional Mexican sauce with me for the first time about a year ago! I had never known Mexican cuisine to be like the rich sauce he introduced me to. Since being with Brian I have come to better understand what real Mexican food is like and was glad to have him now show my family as well.
The silky smooth deep red sauce takes hours to prepare. Brian had a lot of practice doing it though from his time as an intern at Rick Bayless’s restaurants Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago. I can respect the time Brian is willing to put into this sauce, the hard work can be tasted.
To create such an out standing product Brian carefully cleans the dried guajillo chilies and 
ancho chilies and then toasts and blends them. These two chilies are the base for his amazing mole, along with the traditional Mexican sugar called Piloncillo that make this dish so authentic. To make it the mole rojo he also adds a large amount of crushed tomatoes.
We used the mole rojo to make enchiladas! Prior to tasting Brian’s version of this dish I had thought of enchiladas as 
dry chicken covered with a ton of cheese, but I will no longer think of it in that way. He slow cooked turkey legs thighs in oven for hours while the mole brewed on the stove. The turkey became so tender that it just fell off the bone!
Brian created the enchiladas by dipping small corn tortillas in the mole and then stuffing them with the tender turkey meat. The little pockets were tightly packed in to a baking dish and received a hearty helping of mole and then a lot of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
As the enchiladas melted together in the oven the house was taking over by the rich caramelized flavors of the chili-tomato sauce. After waiting all day for this dish, while it was in the oven for the cheeses to brown and bubble to form a delicious crisp crust was the hardest part!
I dream of this dish! My Dad, who tends to shy away from Mexican food for the same misconception as I, learned that when chilies are handled in this manner their flavor c
an be floral and earthy with a pleasant heat.
The succulent turkey was amazing in the dark mole, wrapped in tasty tortillas and topped with gooey cheese. We served the enchiladas with rice, black beans,sesame seeds, and guacamole.
The mole left a wonderful taste in our month and a lasting memory in our hearts. Ah, is there anything better then good food?
Brian posted a recipe for Mole Rojo in his article Mad About Mole, if you have the time you should definitely give this masterpiece of a dish a try. It is well worth the efforts!
| Mole Rojo (Red Mole) (makes 3 quarts) | |||
| 12 ea | Dried guajillo chiles | 6 oz | Piloncillo |
| 8 ea | Dried ancho chilies | 1 tsp | Black peppercorn |
| 1/4 cup | Vegetable oil | 2 tsp | Mexican oregano |
| 1 large can | Tomatoes, crushed | 1 tsp | Cumin seed |
| 1 head | Garlic | 4 Tbsp | Salt |
| 1 ea | Onion, large | 1 gallon | Water |
| -Wrap garlic head and large onion in foil with 2 Tbsp oil and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour until tender.
-Remove seeds and stems from chilies, then toast under broiler until aromatic and just starting to smoke. -Place toasted chilies in a bowl and pour hot water over, weigh down with a plate and soak chilies for 30 mintues. -Place chilies in blender with plenty of fresh water 1/2 gallon fresh water and puree well into a thick paste (use more water if needed). -Push chili puree through medium mesh strainer with ladle. -Heat vegetable oil in large, thick bottomed pan (so as not to burn) and add half of the chili puree, whisking regularly and scraping the pan until the color is 5 shades darker than the original. -Add remaining chili paste and repeat process of whisking and scraping the pan until the chilies are again 5 shades darker. -puree roasted onion and garlic head (skin still on) with black pepper, Mexican oregano, cumin, piloncillo, and canned tomatoes with remaining water. -Strain through medium mesh strainer and add to roasted chili puree. -Season with salt and simmer for 1 hour, adding more water if needed to thin out sauce. |
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| Source: ChefsOnTheRoad.com | |||
Having not had mole (pronounced mo-lay) before, and having had what is labeled as “Mexican” cooking on the East Coast, I was wary of what might be presented. However, what Brian made reflected an entirely different cuisine, something much better than typical restaurant food, something sweet rather than spicy and something with a rich, full flavor. It makes me suspect that there are other Mexican foods, real Mexican foods, which we ought to try.