Mole

There's a story that Mexicans use chocolate in their chilli. I'm not convinced.

I think people are thinking of Mole....a Mexican 'stew' - heavily based on chillis (but not the searingly hot kind), but famously having up to 40 other ingredients and often including chocolates.

In fact - myself and Lou discovered a fair few of them on our trip to Mexico a few years ago...the famous 7 moles of Oaxaca. It's a strange dish...mainly because there's an expectation of chilli-con-carne, yet it looks like a classic British sloppy joe curry, and actually it tastes of neither.

At Xmas I'd bought this kit..and it seemed like a good way to spend a few hours on a Sunday. The 'kit' was superb...and certainly not a 'throw it all in a microwave' job. I think we used most of the kitchen implements!



Mexicans use chocolate in their chili don't you know..



Almonds, raisons and chiles



Frying the chillis really brought out the oils (in this instance mulato, ancho & pasilla chillis)


Post frying - they softened up and gave an amazing flavour - not at all like a typical red/green sainsbury chilli....



Almonds and garlic frying - adding to the layers of the dish



Raisons frying. Never done this before - they plump up lovely



Roasted toms



This was the roasted toms blitzed with the almond, garlic, raisons and a marisa hassa spice mix - oh and the chocolate (can you tell!)


The pulped chillis. An amazing flavour and texture. Maybe a bit bitter (as I used some of the soaking juices)




Mixing the two mixes.....it looked nice....




Chicken thighs - and off to the oven for 40 minutes



Once cooked.....


And served


I really liked it. It had many flavours - in fact genuine 'layers' of flavour - from the chocolate to the almonds - to the midl sweet bitter chillis. I served it on it's own - not sure if that was the best thing to do....but had no idea (apart from rice) what to server with it


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