The Mexican Slow Cooker: Recipes for Mole, Enchiladas, Carnitas, Chile Verde Pork, and More Favorites by Deborah Schneider Read Free Book Online

seed
    2 teaspoons whole dried Mexican oregano
    ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    4 cups Caldo de Pollo , or more as needed
    1 tablespoon crushed Ibarra Mexican chocolate
    TO SERVE
    Toasted sesame seeds
    Place all the ingredients except the chicken and chocolate in a 5-quart slow cooker. Set the chicken on top. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the chicken is tender but not falling off the bone. Remove the chicken. If you like, you can remove the skin and bones now, or you can serve it as is, which is the traditional way. Set the chicken on a warm platter covered with aluminum foil to keep warm while you finish the mole.
    Transfer contents of slow cooker to a blender. Add the chocolate and blend on high for several minutes, until perfectly smooth. Check the seasoning; moles should taste slightly underseasoned, and never salty. The mole should be thick and very smooth. For a velvety texture, pass the sauce through a food mill to remove any remaining skins and fibers. If necessary, add a little water or broth to thin the sauce to a coating consistency.
    To serve, liberally ladle the mole over the chicken, then lightly dust with the sesame seeds.
    NOTE
    The sauce can be cooked without the chicken, but if you do, make it with Caldo de Pollo for the best flavor. The mole can also be made meatless, using vegetable stock, for a vegetarian version.

Mole Manchamanteles
    RED MOLE WITH CHICKEN AND FRIED PLANTAINS Serves 6
    In this simple mole, deep-flavored ancho chiles balance the sweetness of the fresh fruit that forms the base of the sauce. The name means “tablecloth stainer,” a tribute to both the gluttonous abandon induced by this luscious sauce and its deep red color. The recipe calls for chicken, but you can cook the sauce without the meat (using chicken broth for the best flavor) and serve it with roasted vegetables, turkey, Cornish hens, duck, tamales, or pork carnitas instead. Manchamanteles is usually served with plain white rice, dusted with sesame seeds and sprinkled with bit of ripe pineapple. The fried plantains ( tostones) are a delicious addition.
    6 chicken breasts or 12 chicken thighs (about 4 pounds)
    4 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
    1 cup peeled, diced fresh pineapple ( see Note )
    ½ apple, peeled and diced
    ¼ cup whole shelled almonds
    ¼ cup seedless raisins
    3 cloves garlic, peeled
    ½ white onion, diced
    2 small Roma tomatoes, diced
    ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
    2 whole cloves
    1 tablespoon sesame seeds
    1 dried bay leaf
    ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    2 teaspoons whole dried Mexican oregano
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    2½ cups Caldo de Pollo or water, or more as needed
    TO SERVE
    Toasted sesame seeds
    ¾ cup peeled, finely diced fresh pineapple (see Note, below)
    Fried Plantains
    Place all the ingredients except the chicken in a 5-quart slow cooker, and set the chicken on top. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or until the chicken is tender but not falling off the bone. Remove the chicken. If you like, you can remove the skin and bones now, or you can serve it as is. Set the chicken on a warm platter covered with aluminum foil to keep warm while you finish the mole.
    Transfer the remaining contents of the slow cooker to a blender. Blend on high for several minutes, until perfectly smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little more chicken broth or water and blend again. Taste and add a pinch of salt if necessary, remembering that moles are rich and thick but are never highly seasoned. For the perfect texture, pass the sauce through a food mill, but it is perfectly acceptable straight out of the blender.
    To serve, liberally ladle the mole over the chicken. Lightly dust with the sesame seeds and garnish each serving with a few pieces of pineapple and fried plantain.
    NOTE
    Canned pineapple may be substituted for fresh as long as it is well drained. If you are using it as a garnish, sauté the pieces quickly in a hot pan until dry and almost caramelized.

Fried