This is one of the “seven moles” of Oaxaca — less rich and elaborate than a mole negro, but with a more complex intensity than some of the family. The thickening comes from masa, so it is less caloric than nut-thickened moles. It is also one of the few where specific meats — cubed stewing beef and pork — are a traditional part of the dish. Chichilo is often made with small masa dumplings called chochoyotes that are formed in the shape a little like old-fashioned “thimble” cookies and added to the sauce at the end.
Photo by Pedro Luis de Aguinaga
Oaxaca “Burned” Mole Chichilo
Chichilo is one of the “burned” dishes of Oaxaca in which some ingredient must be well charred and blackened to give the right flavor. If you have a yard or terrace, burn the tortillas there to avoid filling the kitchen with fumes. Or at least disable the smoke alarm for the duration! The bitterness of the charred tortillas softens when they are soaked and then cooked in the sauce, melding perfectly with the other flavors.At my restaurant Zarela we served it with Meatloaf (Pastel de carne del istmo) .
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic unpeeled
- 1 medium-size white onion quartered
- 2 pounds beef round cut into 1½-inch cubes
- 2 pounds trimmed pork butt cut into 1½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 4 guajillo chiles tops and seeds removed
- 6 red chilhuacle or ancho chiles tops and seeds removed
- 3 packaged corn tortillas
- 4 cloves or large pinch ground
- 2 tablespoons dried Oaxacan oregano or 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
- 10 avocado leaves
- 1 cup masa fresh or reconstituted by mixing 6 tablespoons masa harina to a smooth paste with 1 cup water
For the chochoyotes:
- 3 tablespoons lard preferably
home-rendered - ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup masa fresh or reconstituted by mixing ½ cup masa harina to a smooth paste with ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Peel 4 of the garlic cloves and set aside. Place the 2 unpeeled garlic cloves in a deep soup pot or large Dutch oven along with the onion, beef and pork cubes, and salt. Add the peppercorns, setting aside 4 to be used later in the spice mixture. Add 9 cups cold water, or enough to cover the meat well. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat to low, and skim off any scum that forms on top. Simmer, partly covered, for 15 minutes.
- Remove the meat cubes with a slotted spoon and set aside; let the remaining ingredients simmer another 15 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, and return it to the rinsed-out pot. You should have about 8 cups of liquid. Set aside.
- While the stock is cooking, wash and griddle-dry the chiles. Char the tortillas over an open flame or under a broiler until thoroughly blackened and slightly shrunken. Place the chiles and tortillas in a medium-size saucepan and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. You will have an unappetizing sight like drenched tortilla charcoal, but don’t be dismayed. Drain well, discarding the cooking water. Set aside.
- Grind the 4 reserved peppercorns, cloves, and oregano together in an electric coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- Place the avocado leaves on a griddle or in a heavy skillet warmed over medium heat. Toast for a few seconds, just until fragrant and very lightly browned; remove at once.
- Set aside 4 of the avocado leaves; place the rest in a blender together with the 4 reserved peeled garlic cloves, drained chiles and tortillas, and ground spices. Add 1 cup of the reserved stock and process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
- Return the pot of stock to the stove and heat to a low boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. With a wooden spoon or pusher, force the puréed chile-tortilla mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into the stock. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if desired. Add the remaining 4 avocado leaves.
- Place the masa in a bowl. Add about 1 cup water and mix to the consistency of a smooth pancake batter. (Work in the water little by little; you may need slightly more or less.) Whisk the mixture into the simmering stock a little at a time and continue to whisk over low heat until it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. If lumps form, press the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve (pushing with a spoon to force through the lumpy bits) and return to the heat. Add the reserved beef and pork cubes to the sauce and simmer, partly covered, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes or until the meat is fork-tender.
- While the stew simmers, make the chochoyotes. Place the lard in a mixing bowl with ½ teaspoon salt. Add the masa and stir the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. (Do not beat — this time you want a dense rather than a fluffy mixture.) Roll bits of dough between your palms to form balls the size of small marbles. Poke a deep indentation in each with a finger (this helps them cook faster). From this amount of masa you should get about 20-25 chochoyotes. Add them to the simmering stew, a few at a time. Serve as soon as all have floated to the top, about 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 446kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 42gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 485mgPotassium: 1138mgFiber: 9gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 5990IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 6mg
