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I just returned from a fabulous vacation in Mexico's great state, Oaxaca. This southern state offers both mountains and beaches mixed with rich local traditions and delicious food! Oaxaca is home to many indigenous people of Zapotec, Aztec, and Mixtec decent among others. It is an incredibly diverse place with welcoming, friendly people.
We traveled to Oaxaca for a friend's wedding, which was in Puerto Escondido - a wonderful little surfing town on the Pacific. Oaxaca is known as a culinary destination, so I was particularly excited to sample the local food and learn about the regions rich culinary heritage. The people of Oaxaca depend on local markets to buy everything from meat to fresh flowers to furniture. These markets are incredible!
While I was in the city of Oaxaca I was lucky to take a cooking class where I learned how to make an awesome mole, salsa, and tortilla soup!
Here is the recipe for the mole including pictures of the ingredients compliments of Oscar, my friend at Casa Crespo. Oscar teaches cooking classes and runs a beautiful little B&B in a not so touristy part of Oaxaca.
Party Mole
(25 portions)
1 8 lb. (4 k) turkey, washed and cut in pieces (we used chicken)
16 cups (128 fl oz/4 l) water
5 garlic cloves
_ onion
1 tablespoon salt
SAUCE
13 Mexican pasilla chilies (4.5 oz/125 g)
8 mulato chilies (4.5 oz/125 g)
Cooking oil
_ cup (4.5 oz/125 g) raisins
_ cup (3.5 oz/100 g) almonds
_ cup (1.8 oz/50 g) pecans
2 tablespoons (.9 oz/25 g) shelled pumpkin seeds
_ cup (4.5 oz/125 g) sesame seeds
2 sliced plantains (17.7 oz/500 g)
3 medium tomatoes (10.6 oz/300 g)
4 garlic cloves
_ medium onion, roughly chopped (3 oz/85 g)
4 peppercorns
2 cloves
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon thyme
2 in (5 cm) cinnamon stick
1 cup (_ lb/_ k) pork lard
2 cups (10.5 oz/300 g) shaved Oaxacan chocolate
Boil the turkey in a large stockpot with the onion half, 5 garlic cloves and salt for an hour or until the meat is tender. Remove the turkey and save the broth.
Cut the chilies lengthwise with scissors; de-vein and seed them; remove the stems.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry each chili individually. Remove them once they blister, being careful not to burn them. Fry the raisins until they plump, then put them in some water to avoid hardening. Fry the almonds, then the pecans, and finally the pumpkin seeds. Fry the sesame seeds with just a little oil and a bit of salt so they do not splatter. Clean the pan, then fry the sliced plantains and remove. Fry the tomatoes, garlic and onion.
Grind the chilies first. Then grind all the other ingredients: the raisins, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, tomatoes, garlic, onion and spices. If you are grinding with a blender, add some turkey broth. If using a mill, add a little water.
Fry the ground ingredients in the lard, using a large pot. Stir constantly for over an hour (I don't remember this taking an hour) until the mixture takes on a dark color and turns into a paste. Add the chocolate and stir until it melts. Add the turkey broth until the mole has the consistency of a thick sauce. Bring to a boil; check the taste. Cover each turkey piece with mole and serve with white rice.
