Native American Herbal, Plant Knowledge

excuse to pig out on it. It also contains thobromines which are allegedly similar to

internal brain hormones of people in love, which is supposed to explain the tradition of

giving a box of chocs to a lover. In my opinion this is some biochemist's fantasy.

Mole Rojo (Red mole sauce) for turkey or chicken -- makes 5 cups

The chocolate in this sauce recipe is not sweet. You may not be able to find the right

kind of dried chiles, unless you live in the southwest. Ancho chiles are brick red or

darker, about 5 inches long and 2 -3 inches wide at the shoulder. It's medium hot, with

underlying fuity flavor. Mulato chiles are dried Poblanos, the green form of the ancho,

slightly larger, darker than anchos (no longer green when dried). Pasilla is very dark,

almost black, wrinkled and tapered, only about 1 inch wide at the shoulder. Quite hot,

underlying smoky flavor.

6 whole dried pasilla chiles

10 whole dried ancho chiles

8 whole dried mulato chiles

2 quarts water

4 tomatillos (yellow ground cherries in lantern husks)

5 Roma tomatoes

1/2 cup rasins

1/3 cup sesame seeds

2 corn tortillas dried in oven and chopped up

6 cloves garlic, roasted and peeled

2 cups duck, chicken or turkey stock

2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves (ground)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp salt

5 oz squares of unsweetned baker's chocolate

3 tablespoons chicken fat or panut cooking oil

1. Start raisins soaking in warm water (20 minutes). Prepare the chiles: remove stems
   and seeds. On an ungreased cast-iron frypan (or in a 250 degree oven) dry roast them 5
   minute, shake a cuple times, don't blacken them. Add water to a covered pan and
   simmer the roasted chiles very low for 30 minutes. Strain, cool.


2. Husk tomatillos, wash tomatoes. Blacken in dry skillet or under broiler (or in gas
   flame on a fork) about 5 minutes. Dry-roast sesame in frypan 5 minutes until they finish
   popping, don't burn them. Saute almonds in the oil over medium heat until browned.
   Drain almonds, reserve oil.


3. Puree the prepared tomatoes, tomatillos, sesame seeds, crumbled tortillas, and
   alonds in a blender to a fine paste. Add chiles, soaked raisins, roast garlic (peeled),
   stock, spices, puree all together fine. Melt chocolate in a little hot water, add to blender
   paste. Check the volume. Add enough water to bring it all to 5 cups during the blending

Native Foods -- Recipes-- Chocolate

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