Side Pannel
About Mole
Ingredients List
- Mole (pron. mole-a) is a series of Mexican sauces that contain ground
- chiles, spices, nuts, often chocolate, sometimes raisins, ground
- seeds, etc.
- There are three basic types of moles:
- 1. Mole Poblano (the most famous type, and the one that ALWAYS
- contains chocolate) was originated in Pueblo during Colonial times
- (Mexican colonial, not ours) by the nuns who wanted to make a special
- dish for a visiting Archbishop. The sauce contains ground dried
- chile peppers, ground nuts, ground raisins, broth, chocolate,
- sometimes ground corn tortillas, a small amount of sugar, and various
- spices. It is traditionally served over turkey, with a side dish of
- unfilled tamales (just the cornmeal masa steamed in corn shucks.)
- It's one of those dishes that rarely finds its way out of the country
- of origin, and you either passionately love or passionately hate. I'd
- post a recipe if I could find one (Have recipes for all three
- versions floating around SOMEWHERE, but never got the time to enter
- 'em into the computer, so they're a little tough to find). It may
- also be purchased pre-made (something I recommend, as the bottled
- version is excellent, and this is NOT something you'd want to attack
- from scratch on even a semi-regular basis). If Shirley is interested,
- I'll pick up a jar and ship it your way.
- 2. Mole Verde (green mole) contains green chiles, broth, ground
- pumpkin seeds, various herbs and spices. It's usually served over
- chicken or pork. Nice stuff, and much easier for the beginner to like
- than the Mole Poblano.
- 3. Mole Roja (red mole) is a sauce that contains red chiles, herbs
- and spices, ground nuts or seeds, ground corn tortillas, usually no
- chocolate. I THINK it comes from the region around Oxaca. Again,
- it's marginally easier to like than the more well-known version. It's
- usually served over chicken or pork.
- All of these dishes are virtual throwbacks to the complex (and to our
- palates unusual) combinations of ingredients that were common in that
- part of the country before the arrival of the Spaniards. None of the
- dishes is particularly hot, they have a complex, haunting flavor that
- speaks of cultures long gone, but not entirely forgotten.
- Don't know if you'd like 'em or not, Unka Burt (I do), but if you
- want just a hint of what I'm talking about, throw a square of
- unsweetened chocolate in your next batch of Left-Handed Chili, and
- let us know what you think.
- From: Kathy Pitts, Bryan, TX
- Posted to FIDO Cooking echo by Kathy Pitts from Dec 1, 1994 - Jul 31, 1995.
- File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/kpitts.zip
Directions
Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
Title: About Pasta Perfect Side Dishes Orzo
Categories: Mcrecipe
Yield: 4 Servings
6 oz Orzo; or mini farfalle pasta
CONFETTI: In nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium heat, melt 2 teaspoons
light corn-oil spread. Add 2 medium carrots, shredded, 1 medium-size
zucchini (8 ounces), shredded, 1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic press,
3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper and cook 5
minutes. Stir in cooked orzo; heat through.
Each serving: About 180 calories, 6 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 2 g total
fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 405 mg sodium.
ORANGE-FENNEL: In nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium heat, melt 2
teaspoons light corn-oil spread. Add 1 garlic clove crushed with garlic
press, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper and
cook 30 seconds. Stir in 1 teaspoon grated orange peel and 1/2 teaspoon
fennel seeds, crushed. Add cooked orzo and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh
parsley; heat through.
Each serving: About 170 calories, 6 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate, 2 g total
fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 415 mg sodium.
PEAS & ONION: In nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium heat, melt 2
teaspoons light corn-oil spread. Add 1 small onion, chopped, and 2
tablespoons water and cook until onion is tender and golden, about 10
minutes. Stir in 1 cup thawed frozen peas and cooked orzo; heat through.
Each serving: About 210 calories, 8 g protein, 39 g carbohydrate, 2 g total
fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium.
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