Enlightened Mole Sauce
Most North Americans think of chocolate in terms of cocoa, candy or desserts, but for Mexicans, chocolate is indispensable for its most popular dish, mole (pronounced “mo-lay”). In this dish, chocolate adds richness without adding sweetness. Black onyx cocoa powder is a Dutch-process powder that has been alkalized to produce a purple-black cocoa. It can be found at Savory Spice Shop, 1537 Platte St. in LoDo. This recipe, which works for chicken, turkey or pork, is adapted from Colorado chef Anthony Polakowski. Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs (or 4 large chicken breasts)
- Juice from 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 12-ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup ground, toasted almonds
- 4 ounces ancho, pasilla or poblano chiles (or a combination)
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons finely diced yellow onion
- 2 corn tortillas, julienned
- 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro
- 1/4- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
- 2 tablespoons reposado or añejo tequila
- 1-2 cups chicken broth (or more, if needed)
- 3 tablespoons onyx (or regular) cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- Cilantro sprigs for garnish
Directions
Rub chicken thighs with lime juice, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat olive oil and brown on both sides. Set aside. When cool enough, remove skin, pour off excess oil and set aside.
Purée tomatoes, almonds, chiles, garlic, onion, tortillas, cilantro, salt, cinnamon, red pepper, tequila, chicken broth, cocoa powder and butter in a food processor. Use short bursts initially, and then process until you have a thick dark sauce. Adjust the consistency with additional chicken stock.
Transfer to a pan and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Don’t allow mixture to become too thick as it may scorch while simmering.
Pour sauce over chicken pieces and return skillet to simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until chicken is done.
Serve over white rice. Garnish with sprigs of cilantro. Serve with a green salad of spinach and avocado.
Wine ideas: It was Café Pasquals in Santa Fe that first introduced me to the beauty of mole (and all medium-spicy red chile sauces, for that matter) with Rhône reds. These wines are based on syrah, which has a spicy, licorice-licked red fruit flavor that stands up to intricate sauces spice for spice. Spring for a Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Chateau de Beaucastel if you can; if you can’t, try a Réserve Côtes du Rhône red from Perrin, the same family that owns Beaucastel. -Tara Q. Thomas
Valentine Hearts
Not everyone shares smooches with a sweetheart on Valentine’s Day. Some hang out with their proverbial best friend. And what better way to reward Fido’s loyalty than with a heart or two. Liza Palika created “The Ultimate Dog Treat Cookbook” (Howell, $14.95), with munchable ideas. And since chocolate isn’t good for pooches, these cookies should score big time. Makes 35-40 2-inch heart-shaped cookies.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken bouillon powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well-mixed. Slowly add eggs, water, food coloring, and vanilla to form a stiff dough. Knead dough by hand for 2 minutes.
Form dough into a ball and place it on a floured breadboard. Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thick. Using a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut the rolled dough into cookies.
Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. For crisper treats, let cookies cool in oven for several hours or overnight. Otherwise, remove hearts, cool thoroughly, and store, refrigerated, in an airtight container.
The Crush
There’s hot chocolate, and then there’s haute chocolate.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces Kahlua
- 1/2 ounce Cointreau
- 1/4 ounce Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur
- 1/4 cup steamed milk
- Ground cinnamon
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a cappuccino mug and add hot steamed milk. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Christina’s Chocolate Truffles
This recipe, created by Janette Barber and Christina Deyo, as seen on the Food Network, makes 24 truffles. Please read the recipe through carefully, noting two kinds of chocolate are used in this recipe. Refrigerated, the truffles will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week and in the freezer for several weeks.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon amaretto
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped milk chocolate
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/4 cup finely ground almonds
Directions
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Set aside.
Place the semisweet chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl and set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat until hot but not quite simmering. Pour cream over semisweet chocolate and let stand 3-4 minutes. Stir until smooth.
Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat in butter and amaretto until mixture is light and creamy. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.
Use a teaspoon or melon baller to scoop up heaping teaspoons of the chocolate mixture, then use your hands to roll them into smooth balls, about 3/4-inch in diameter.
Melt milk chocolate. Coat some truffles in melted chocolate, some in cocoa powder and some in almonds, setting them on the baking sheet as they’re ready. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Wine ideas: As with the lime-ginger truffles, a ruby port would be delicious with these chocolate bombs, but these all make a terrific excuse to pull out something even fruitier-a small snifter of kirsch, perhaps, or check out Bonny Doon’s Bouteille Call, a port-style syrah fortified with Bonny Doon’s Framboise that gives a double-whammy of fruity flavor. -Tara Q. Thomas
Will Poole’s Chocolate Tart
A luscious blend of cream, butter, sugar and chocolate conceived, tested and eaten at 5,280 feet. For the ambitious baker who wants to knock the socks off guests. Makes six 4-inch tartlets.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 11 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 5-6 tablespoons cold water
- 2 egg yolks
For the filling:
- 1 pound semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
- 12 ounces heavy cream, infused (see note below)
- 18 almonds, hazelnuts or pecans for garnish
Directions
In a medium bowl, cut butter into flour with fingertips or pastry blender. Add sugar and salt; toss lightly to incorporate. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine enough water/egg mixture to flour mixture until sufficiently moistened to clean side of bowl. Lightly work dough until all ingredients are just incorporated. Wrap in plastic wrap and allow dough to rest, refrigerated, for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375.
Remove dough from refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, still wrapped.
Remove plastic and roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to about 1/8-inch thickness.
Fill tart shell with dough. Use pie weights and foil to retain shape of pan. Place on sheet pan and bake for about 12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Allow to cool completely before filling.
Filling: Place chopped chocolate in a stainless steel or glass bowl and set aside.
Heat cream in a heavy saucepan to scalding, or just barely boiling. Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly. Pour over chocolate and stir slowly from the center of the bowl, allowing the heat of the cream to melt chocolate and mix completely. Cool mixture in refrigerator until set. Spread into tart shells, top each with an arrangement of the three nuts.
Note: the cream can be infused with various aromatics, such as savory herbs – a touch of rosemary, bay leaf or kaffir lime leaves – or such spices as cinnamon, clove, ginger, white or black pepper, as well as adding a few drops of rum, cognac or bourbon. Just remember to remove solids before refrigerating the cream/chocolate mixture.
Mexican Cream
This rich, chocolaty dessert from pastry chef Anthony Polakowski will remind some of chocolate mousse, only richer and more textured. Servings finished with little shortbread strips (or a pair of shortbread cookies) and a small strawberry, make a delightful finish to dinner. Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup mascarpone
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 tablespoons Kahlua
- 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 6 ounces melted dark chocolate, cooled
- Strawberries or raspberries for garnish
- 4 shortbread cookies
Directions
Place cream and mascarpone in a mixer bowl. On low speed, beat in sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, Kahlua and espresso powder. Whip to a soft peak. Slowly beat in melted chocolate.
Chill 30 minutes. Divide into dessert dishes and garnish with fresh fruit and cookies.
Wine ideas: It might sound strange, but take a tip from the Italians and open a lightly chilled Brachetto d’Acqui with this dessert. The bubbles of this Piemontese dessert wine will echo the lightness of the cream, while the strawberry flavors will add a bright note. Marenco makes a lovely version called Pineto, and Banfi makes a small bottle that’s well-priced and easy to find.
— Tara Q. Thomas
