Red Mole Chicken With Chorizo Food

LACQUERED CHICKEN IN RED MOLE

Steps:

• On a rimmed baking sheet, roast the tomatillos 4 inches below the broiler until splotchy black and thoroughly soft, about 5 minutes per side. Scrape roasted tomatillos into a large bowl, along with any juices from the sheet.
• In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer half of the toasted sesame seeds to a large mixing bowl to combine with the roasted tomatillos; set aside the other half for serving.
• Remove and discard the stems, seeds, and veins from the dried chiles. Heat ¼ cup of the lard or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Tear the dried chiles into large pieces and toast in the oil until they become aromatic and their interior side has lightened in color, 20-30 seconds for each side. (You will need to work in batches.) As they're done, remove them to a large bowl, draining as much fat as possible back into the skillet; reserve the fat. Cover the toasted chiles with hot tap water and allow them to rehydrate, 30 minutes.
• With the skillet still over medium heat, toast the almonds and garlic cloves, stirring, until they are browned and the garlic is soft, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the almonds and garlic into the bowl with the tomatillos and sesame seeds, leaving as much fat as possible in the skillet. Add the raisins to the hot skillet and stir for 20 or 30 seconds, until they''ve puffed and browned slightly. Scoop them out, leaving as much fat as possible in the skillet, and add to the tomatillo mixture; reserve the fat. Set the skillet aside, off the heat.
• Grind the black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and anise seed to powder in the mortar; transfer the powder to the tomatillo mixture. Tear the toasted bread into large pieces and add to the mixture; roughly chop the chocolate before adding.
• Add 2 cups of water to the tomatillo mixture. Drain the rehydrated chiles, reserving the soaking liquid if it''s not bitter. Otherwise, drain and substitute fresh water. Working in batches, add the drained chiles and some of the soaking liquid (or fresh water) to a blender; starting at low and moving to high speed, purée until very smooth. As you go, add more water as necessary to achieve an even consistency, similar to a thick canned tomato sauce. Use a rubber spatula to press the purée through a medium-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard the bits of skin and seeds that don''t pass through. Repeat with the remaining chiles.
• Heat ½ cup lard (or vegetable oil) in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When it's hot, add the chile purée; it should sizzle sharply. Stir and adjust the heat as necessary to keep the chile purée at a brisk simmer. Stir every couple of minutes until it has darkened and reduced to the consistency of tomato paste, about 30 minutes.
• Blend the tomatillo-nut mixture as smoothly as possible (you may need an extra cup or so of water to keep everything moving through the blades). Pass the purée through the medium-mesh strainer into a large bowl; then add to the pot. Stir to combine and simmer over medium-low to low heat, stirring every few minutes, until the mixture is considerably darker and thicker, about 30-45 minutes.
• Check the thickness by dragging a spoon or rubber spatula across the bottom of the pot. If the spoon leaves a deep trail, the mixture is thickened sufficiently.Add the broth to the mole and stir well. Partially cover the pot and briskly simmer the mixture over medium to medium-low heat, stirring every 20 minutes or so, until the flavors come together and mellow, about 2 hours. If the mole has thickened beyond the consistency of a cream soup, stir in a little water.
• Season with salt (1 heaping tablespoon), and taste. Then add the sugar, stir, and taste. If necessary, add more sugar a tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go, until the mole tastes mellow and balanced: you should be able to detect hints of flavor from all the ingredients. (Note: Mole can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.) For the Lacquered Chicken in Red Mole (not in video): Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, mix together 1 cup of the mole with the agave nectar or corn syrup. Simmer over medium heat until glossy and reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes; set aside. Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets; season generously with salt. Bake until the chicken pieces are tender to the bone and the juices at the thickest part of the leg and thigh portions run clear, about 45 minutes.Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Pour off the juices that have collected around the chicken, then brush the pieces liberally with the mole mixture. Sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds. Bake until a glaze forms on the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Then serve each portion of chicken with an additional ½ cup of the mole, garnished with watercress or flat-leaf parsley.

RED WINE-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH CHORIZO AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Place raisins in a small bowl; cover with hot water. Set aside.
• Mix cumin, paprika, 1 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. cayenne in another small bowl. Pat chicken dry and rub all over with spice mixture.
• Heat oil in a 5-7-qt. Dutch oven or large wide saucepan over medium-high. Add chorizo and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 5-8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix chickpeas, orange zest, remaining 3/4 tsp. salt, and a pinch of cayenne in a medium bowl.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to chickpea mixture; stir to combine. Drain all but 2 Tbsp. fat from pan, then return to medium-high heat. Cook chicken, skin side down, until well-browned, 12-14 minutes. Transfer to a plate skin side up. Add onion to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 3 minutes.
• Add wine and broth. Bring to a boil, nestle chicken skin side up into onions in pan. Lower heat to medium, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, drain raisins and stir into chorizo mixture.
• Stir chorizo mixture and Sherry vinegar into chicken mixture. Cook, uncovered, until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup parsley, then divide among 4 plates. Top with remaining 1 Tbsp. parsley and serve.

GRILLED CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• For the brine and chicken: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, the salt, sugar, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar and salt. Once boiling, remove from the heat and add 3 cups ice. Once the liquid is cool, pour into a freezer bag. Add the chicken to the brine, making sure it is completely submerged. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• For the dry rub: Combine the ancho chile powder, granulated garlic, salt, cumin, onion powder, cinnamon and black pepper together and toast in a dry pan until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with the dry rub, massaging the spices into the meat and ensuring that all sides are completely coated. Return to the refrigerator and marinate for 1 hour.
• For the mole sauce: In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add the canola oil and onions and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomatoes, chocolate, almonds, cinnamon, cumin, ancho chiles and chipotles with their liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add in the chicken stock and puree until smooth. Add the currants and process again. Set half of the sauce aside for serving and reserve the other half for basting the chicken.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes per side. Using a silicone pastry brush, baste with the mole sauce for the final 5 to 8 minutes of cooking time.
• Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with steamed white rice and extra mole sauce slathered over the top.

RED MOLE CHICKEN WITH CHORIZO

Steps:

• Tear the chiles into flat pieces and remove the veins and seeds. Put in a skillet over medium heat and roast the chiles on both sides until they begin to release their aroma and soften a bit, about 1 minute.
• Transfer the chiles to a blender jar. Fill with boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes. Drain the water from the jar, reserving 1 1/2 cups water for use in the sauce. Leave the chiles in the blender.
• Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan, add the garlic, and gradually warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 6 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add to the blender.
• Add the chorizo to the saucepan and cook for 1 minute over medium-high heat, or until it releases its fat. Dry the chicken breasts with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Add to the saucepan and brown for 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and chorizo from the saucepan and set aside.
• Add the cloves, cinnamon, and 1 cup of the reserved water to the blender with the chiles, onion, and garlic. Blend to a smooth puree.
• Make sure the bottom of the saucepan is coated with fat. If not, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and place over medium-high heat. When the saucepan is hot, add the puree all at once and let it "fry" for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it becomes dark and thick.
• Add the chicken and chorizo to the saucepan along with the vinegar and the remaining reserved water. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir well and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, partially covered. Add the banana and the sugar and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning; it should be slightly sweet.
• Serve warm over a bed of white rice.
• INGREDIENTS
• Mexican Chorizo
• Mexican chorizo, as opposed to its Spanish counterpart, which is cured and seasoned with paprika, is a fresh sausage flavored with dried chile and other seasonings. If you need a commercial substitute, use hot Italian sausage in its place.
• TECHNIQUE
• Roasting Chiles
• Since chiles are dark, you cannot rely on their color to tell you that they are ready. Instead pay attention to their aroma and texture. As soon as the chiles begin to release their scent and become soft and pliable, they are ready.
• ADVANCE PREPARATION
• This dish can be made up to 3 days in advance. You can take comfort in knowing that the flavor improves with age.

CHICKEN WITH CHORIZO, PEPPERS & SAFFRON MASH

Steps:

• Trim the skin on the chicken thighs and set aside. For the mash, heat the milk and saffron in a small saucepan to just below boiling, then remove from the heat and set aside to infuse. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Heat the olive oil in a shallow 30cm casserole over a medium heat, fry the chorizo for 2 mins, then transfer to a dish using a slotted spoon. Fry the onions and peppers in the pan until starting to soften, about 10 mins. Add the garlic, cook for 2 mins more, then tip into the dish with the chorizo.
• Return the pan to a medium heat with any residual oil, then brown the chicken thighs on both sides. Season. If there's a lot of oil in the pan, pour away all but 1 tbsp. Add the rioja, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any sticky bits, then add the stock, bay and thyme.
• Add the chorizo and veg. Bring to a simmer, then transfer to the oven, uncovered. Cook for 35-40 mins, adding some water if the liquid starts to reduce too quickly.
• Meanwhile, make the mash. Cover the potatoes in lightly salted cold water, bring to the boil, and cook for 15 mins until tender. Drain, return to the pan, and leave for 5 mins to steam-dry. Mash the potatoes with the infused milk and butter. Beat in the olive oil and some seasoning. When the chicken is cooked through, season, scatter with thyme leaves and serve with the mash.

MEXICAN CHICKEN RED MOLE (MOLE COLORADO DE POLLO)

Steps:

• Place chilies in large saucepan; add water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.
• Cover chilies with a plate to submerge them.
• Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat; add olive oil to coat bottom of pan.
• Add chicken, and lightly brown on all sides; then add 4 cups water and 1/4 onion.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
• Grind sesame seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, oregano, and thyme until pulverized.
• Set aside.
• Drain soaked ancho chilies and remove stems and seeds.
• Puree chilies in blender, adding a little water if needed.
• Pass through a sieve to strain out the peels.
• Without washing blender, puree onion and tomato.
• Remove chicken and strain broth into a bowl or pot.
• Add pureed chilies and tomato-onion mixture to pan; cook over medium heat for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add ground spice mixture, 1 1/2 cups of reserved broth, chocolate.
• sugar, and salt to taste.
• Add the meat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add more broth as desired for consistency.
• Serve with soft tortillas and steamed rice, if you desire.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH RED MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the chicken in the pan, then pour in 300ml cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce down to a simmer and cook for 20 mins, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from water (saving the liquid) and when it's cool enough to handle, shred with your fingers or a fork.
• Halve the chillies, pull out the seeds and discard. Place in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for 20 mins until softened, then discard the water, roughly chop the chillies then put into a blender.
• Heat a frying pan and tip in the tomato. Cook for 5 mins, until the tomato skins start to blister and turn brown. Add to the blender. Heat the oil or lard in the same frying pan and cook the onion, garlic and almonds for 5 mins. Stir in the raisins, oregano, cumin and cinnamon, then cook 2 mins more until the onion is softened, the almonds are golden and the raisins have puffed up. Tip into the blender with 100ml of the chicken poaching liquid and give it a good whizz.
• Pour the mixture back into the pan, stir in 350ml of the poaching liquid and chocolate and let it simmer for 20 mins. To serve, soften the tortillas in a microwave for 30 secs then pile the chicken on top, spoon over the sauce and roll up. Serve scattered with coriander leaves, limes and more chopped almonds.