One of my more popular Mexican cooking classes was Mexican Sauces. I tried to pick recipes that I was often asked to share. To start with, I wanted to feature a sauce prepared using mostly dried chiles with a few spices. Chile ancho is the mildest of the dried peppers and is the most often used in countless Mexican recipes. The second sauce was inspired by my love of New Mexico and the wonderful flavors of the green chile. And of course, you can’t have nachos without a big bowl of warm Queso Blanco. The last two sauces, Easy Enchilada Sauce and Mole Sauce are simplified versions of the traditional Mexican recipes. They both really utilize all those spices in your cupboard that you may not be using as often as you like. Any or all of this sauce can be used for the obvious, which would be enchiladas. But they all, besides the Queso, can really be used in any recipe that requires a braising or simmering sauce.
Pure Chile Ancho Sauce for Enchiladas and Much More! Get the full recipe https://pinaenlacocina.com/salsa-para-enchiladas-de-chile-ancho-pure-chile-ancho-enchilada-sauce/
One of my most favorite recipes to prepare! I use this ancho sauce for enchiladas, tamales, pozole, menudo, ribs, chile colorado and more.
All of the sauces, minus the queso blanco freeze well. As a matter of fact, the flavors will improve!
Chile Verde Sauce~ Get the full recipe https://pinaenlacocina.com/chile-verde-sauce/
This Chile verde recipe is all chile verde, no tomatillos. Delicious for enchiladas, pork chile verde and green chile chicken pozole!
Queso Blanco~Tex Mex. Get the full recipe https://pinaenlacocina.com/que-es-eso-es-queso-melted-shredded-crumbled-and-sliced/
Easy Enchilada Sauce-Tex Mex. https://pinaenlacocina.com/easy-enchilada-sauce-spices-in-the-cupboard/ Get The full recipe!
Inspired by my years living in Texas, this recipe is easy and so tasty when you don’t want to fuss too much with dried chiles. So, pull out all those spices and chili powders you have stashed away! But, if you are craving something more traditional, Get it here! https://pinaenlacocina.com/basic-chicken-enchiladas-enchiladas-de-pollo/
Easy Mole Sauce
It’s as easy as I could prepare it without buying a jar of the premade mole paste. My more traditional mole recipes include much of the same ingredients but do require a few more steps. You can find mole poblano, Oaxacan style mole sauce and even a mole de jamaica prepared with pork!
Easy Mole Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 c avocado oil or natural rendered pork lard
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 serrano peppers roughly chopped
- 10 dried pasilla peppers, negro, mulato or ancho peppers
- 1 14 oz can Hunt’s fire roasted garlic tomatoes
- 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
- 1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds plus more for garnish
- 1/3 c peanuts or creamy peanut butter I use dry roasted peanuts
- 1/3 c raisins
- 2 oz disc of Mexican chocolate
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Salt, to taste
- 6 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Remove the stems and seeds from pasilla peppers and tear into pieces. Set them aside.
- In a large deep skillet or dutch oven pot, preheat 1/4 cup of avocado oil or pork lard at medium heat.
- Add the onion, serrano pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 4 minutes. Add the torn pieces of the pasilla chiles into the pot. Stir well to combine. Stir continuously for the next minute so dried chiles don't burn.
- Mix in the nuts, seeds, spices and raisins. Sauté for 1 minutes. Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth. Let it come up to a simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let ingredients cool slightly.
- When ready, transfer the mixture from the pot to a blender jar. Pour in the fire roasted tomatoes. Blend on high until smooth. Be extremely careful when blending hot liquids. Always secure top of blender using a towel, use your hand to hold down lid tightly.
- Now at this point you will need to strain the sauce through a wire mesh strainer into a larger bowl, for a really smooth sauce. I have a power blender and there is no need to strain the sauce.
- In that same pot, preheat 3-4 tablespoons of oil or lard to medium heat. Add the sauce to pan, add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth. Stir well to combine. Taste for salt. When it comes to a boil, add the Mexican chocolate and stir until melted.
- If you like the sauce a little sweeter, you can add a little piloncillo or dark brown sugar to taste. I like mine more on the savory side. Cover, reduce heat and continue cooking and stirring occasionally for another 40 minutes. Taste for salt along the way. If it's too thick, you can pour in a little more broth or water. Serve sauce over pork, chicken, or turkey, garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
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