Salsa de Mole Poblano (Classic Mole Poblano Sauce)

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This subtle blend of chocolate and chile is from Puebla, where it is 
known as the “National Dish of Mexico” when it is served over turkey. 
This sauce adds life to any kind of poultry, from roasted game hens to a 
simple grilled chicken breast. It is also excellent as a sauce over 
chicken enchiladas.

Ingredients

4 dried pasilla chiles, seeds and stems removed
4 dried red guajillo or New Mexican chiles, seeds and stems removed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 corn tortilla, torn into pieces
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons shortening or vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 ounce bitter chocolate (or more to taste)

Instructions

Combine the chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the sesame 
seeds, almonds, tortilla, raisins, cloves, cinnamon, and coriander. 
Puree small amounts of this mixture in a blender until smooth.
Melt the shortening in a skillet and saute the puree for 10 minutes, 
stirring frequently. Add the chicken broth and chocolate and cook over a 
very low heat for 45 minutes. The sauce should be very thick. The 
remaining sesame seeds are used as a garnish, sprinkled over the 
finished dish.

The Earliest Mole Sauce

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Why wouldn’t the cooks of the prehistoric, ash-covered village of Cerén 
in El Salvador have developed sauces to serve over meats and vegetables? 
After all, there is evidence that curry mixtures were in existence 
thousands of years ago in what is now India, and we have to assume that 
Native Americans experimented with all available ingredients. Perhaps 
this mole sauce was served over stewed duck meat, as ducks were one of 
the domesticated meat sources of the Cerén villagers.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons pumpkin or squash seeds (pepitas)
4 tomatillos, husks removed
1 tomato, roasted and peeled
1/2 teaspoon chile seeds, from dried chile pods
1 corn tortilla, torn into pieces
2 tablespoons red chile powder, such as New Mexican, guajillo, or Chimayó
1 teaspoon annatto seeds, or substitute achiote paste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 ounce Mexican chocolate; or substitute bittersweet chocolate

Instructions

Heat a heavy skillet over high heat; add the pumpkin seeds, and 
dry-roast until the seeds start to pop. Shake the skillet once they 
start to pop, continuing until they turn golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. 
Take care that they don’t darken and remove from the pan to cool 
completely. Place the seeds in a spice mill or coffee grinder and 
process to a fine powder.
Put the pumpkin seeds, tomatillos, tomato, chile seeds, tortilla, chile 
powder, and annatto or achiote in a blender or food processor and 
process, using just enough broth to form a paste.
Reheat the skillet over medium heat, add the oil, and when hot, add the 
paste. Fry the paste, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
Whisk in the remaining chicken broth and the chocolate, and cook, 
stirring constantly, until thickened to desired consistency. If the 
sauce becomes too thick, thin with either broth or water.

Saba Scotch Bonnet Sauce

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From the Netherlands Antilles' island of Saba comes this simple, 
steeped hot sauce that graces seafood dishes or simple rice. Malt 
vinegar, made from malted barley, is the secret taste ingredient. 
Because of the vinegar, this sauce can be kept for a month or so in the 
refrigerator.

Ingredients

1 Scotch bonnet chile (or habanero), seeds and stem removed, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup malt vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Place the chile, onion, and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. Combine 
the vinegar, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a strong boil. 
Add the boiling mixture over the chile mixture, stirring constantly. Add 
the oil and stir well.

Puerto Rican Sofrito

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Here is an unusual sauce that is almost a stew. In Puerto Rico, some 
cooks depend on only the bell peppers for Capsicum flavor; others add 
some rocotillo chiles, as I do if I can find them. Otherwise, I use a 
fourth the amount of habaneros. Serve this sauce over a rice or black 
bean dish.

Ingredients

1/2 pound salt pork, diced
2 tablespoons annatto (achiote) seeds
4 onions, finely chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeds removed, chopped
4 rocotillo chiles, seeds and stems removed, chopped, or substitute 1 
habanero
1/2 pound ham, diced
3 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large skillet, fry the salt pork over medium heat, stirring 
occasionally, until the pieces have no fat and are crisp and brown. 
Remove the pork and reserve. Add the annatto seeds to the pan and cook, 
stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove the 
skillet from the heat, strain the mixture, discard the seeds, and return 
the fat to the skillet.
Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, and rocotillo chiles and saute 
until the onion is tender soft, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 
ingredients and simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 30 minutes, 
stirring from time to time.
This sauce may be canned in sterilized jars or kept in the refrigerator 
for about 5 days.

Homemade Tabasco®-Style Sauce

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The U.S.A. has become one of the world's largest producers of hot sauces 
and the flagship of the hot sauce fleet is Tabasco®, which is exported 
all over the world from Avery Island, Louisiana. Because the chiles in 
mash form are not aged in oak barrels for three years, this recipe will 
be only a rough approximation of the famous McIlhenny product. You will 
have to grow your own tabascos or substitute dried ones that have been 
rehydrated. Other small, hot, fresh red chiles can also be substituted 
for the tabascos. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh red tabasco chiles, chopped
2 cups distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

Combine the chiles and the vinegar in a saucepan and heat. Stir in the 
salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool, and place in 
a blender. Puree until smooth and place in a glass jar. Allow to steep 
for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Remove, strain the sauce, and adjust the consistency by adding more 
vinegar if necessary.