I used pork for this classic enchilada recipe, but shredded chicken would also work very well with the sauce and filling. The preparation of this traditional recipe takes a little bit of time. You can break it over a few days since the sauce can be made in advance (and it makes a lot). The combination of potato, plantain and smoky roasted vegetables make this mole so perfect that it is well worth all of the time spent in the kitchen. Topped with my tomatillo salsa, the interesting combination of sweet, creamy and spicy flavors really come together for an authentic Mexican dish.
Ingredients:
3 lb pork shoulder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Sauce:
7 dried ancho chillies
2 slices of bread
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 tomato, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
A pick of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup pork broth
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Salt and pepper
Filling:
3 red potatoes, boiled with skin, and cut into cubes
1 ripe plantain, cut into cubes
2 large tomato, diced
Salt and pepper
12-16 corn and flour tortillas or whole wheat tortillas
1 cup queso fresco, crumbled
Yields: serving for 6
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Method:
Preheat oven 350°F.
In a large Dutch oven, place the pork shoulder and cover the pork with water.
Add salt, oregano and onion.
Bring to a boil, then cover the pan and allow the pork to simmer for 1 hour until the meat is tender.
Remove the meat and place on a platter.
Strain the liquid into a bowl. Reserve the broth.
Shred the pork and set aside while you make the sauce.
Place the ancho chillies in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Let stand for 30 minutes.
Place the unpeeled garlic and bread on a baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes.
Once cooked, peel the garlic and place the cloves in a blender. Tear the slices of bread and place in the blender with the garlic.
Add the tomato, onion, oregano, cloves, cinnamon to the blender.
Remove the chillies from the water. Remove the seeds and the stem. Roughly chop the chillies and place in the blender.
Add the reserved pork broth.
Blend until the mixture is nice and thick.
Place in a bowl and add the sugar. Season to taste.
In a large saucepan, add 1 cup of the mole sauce with 1 more cup of the pork broth.
Cook on medium high heat stirring often. You want to be careful not to burn the sauce. Let cook for 5 minutes.
Lower the heat, and allow the sauce to simmer 15 minutes more.
Next, add the shredded pork, the red potatoes, plantain and tomato. Season to taste. If you feel that the mixture is too dry for your liking, add more sauce, but make sure to save some to top the tortillas.
Lower the oven temperature to 325°F while you get the tortillas ready.
Fill the tortillas with the pork filling.
Place seam side down in a casserole dish.
Top with more sauce and queso fresco.
Cover with foil, and place oven to cook for 30-40 minutes.
Serve with tomatillo salsa.
