Mole Elena

While working around the yard on the 4th of July, I developed a taste for enchiladas.  I wanted a homemade sauce and decided to develop my own version of a mole sauce.  The sauce has a decidedly Mediterranean flair, as does the finished dish (Black Bean and Yam Enchiladas with Goat Cheese).

This is particularly spicy; you may reduce or omit dried chilis to suit your taste or your biology.  ; )

INGREDIENTS
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, roughly chopped
15 dried chilis
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 28-oz can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
40-oz water
2 t chili powder
1/2 t unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 t cinnamon

RECIPE
Bring a heavy-bottomed stock pot or large sauce pan to heat over medium flame.  Do not use a plain cast iron pan due to the acidity of this dish.  Once hot, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot.  Once the oil begins to shimmer add the onion and chilis.  Breaking the chilis will increase the spicy heat of the sauce, so, if you are cooking for an audience that doesn't tolerate heat, be sure to use only intact peppers. Stir as needed allowing to the onions to sear a bit.  They will stick somewhat to the pot.  Once the onion and dried peppers begin to soften and slightly carmelize, add the garlic.  Allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Turn up the heat to high and immediately add the tomato.  Quickly scrape the bottom of the pot, to deglaze it.  Now, add the water and remainder of spices and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat to medium and allow the mole to simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the chilis and discard them if you want a mild sauce.  Leave a few in if you want it hot. Using a sieve or a blender, you are going to puree the sauce.  I use my immersion blender for this (as well as for pureeing soups.  I find it to be a much safer choice with less risk of being burned.  If you are going to use a standard blender, allow the sauce to first cool to nearly room temperature before blending.  Then ill the blender to no more than half full, puree the sauce and pour the puree into another dish.  Continue until you have pureed all of the sauce  until the entire pot is nicely pureed.

This sauce will make a great topping for enchiladas or a wonderful marinade for any meat you might like to cook.

Here is a way to make it into a wonderful fresh pasta sauce adding salsa fresco.  Also, you can make use it as the base for a sauce for grilled lemon shrimp to serve over pasta, rice, quinoa, shredded cabbage or zucchini ribbons.  Sometimes, I'll even warm it serve it with a mexican-style frittata.