free from gluten and the top 8 food allergens<\/p><\/div>\n

We are hooked on mol\u00e9!<\/p>\n

Each region in Mexico has it’s own slant on specific ingredients and methods. These sauces can be red, black, green or yellow. Mol\u00e9 poblano from the town of Puebla is probably the most famous.<\/p>\n

When it’s made from scratch, no matter what regional version you’re tasting, the sauce offers a complexity that is spun into harmony with rehydrated chiles, nuts and seeds, corn and sometimes chocolate.<\/p>\n

We’ve omitted peanuts, tree nuts and sesame seeds to equal “allergy-friendly” with the same great taste!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This traditional Mexican sauce is known for being complicated and taking a long time to make. We think our version is fairly easy compared to some. Keep in mind, this is a sauce that is worth every effort.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Key Ingredient<\/strong><\/p>\n

We start by making the pepper paste. The dried peppers are heated briefly in the oven just until soft and pliable. Wearing disposable gloves, once the chilies are cool enough to handle, pull off the stems and gently rip the peppers open to pour out the seeds. The seeds and stems are discarded.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Next, the peppers are simmered with vegetable broth for about 10 minutes. They are then blended until smooth and strained through a fine sieve, by moving a ladle up and down, forcing the paste through the sieve. This yields 2-3\/4 cups of paste and more than you’ll need for the recipe.<\/p>\n

Certainly, that’s a good thing. After you finish the mol\u00e9 sauce, you can portion the remaining paste into containers and freeze. Once you make this, you’ll be wanting to make it again and again. You’ll be glad you have the paste handy.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

La Salsa<\/b><\/p>\n

Next, the vegetable broth, onions, corn tortillas, raisins, pumpkin seeds and bay leaf are simmered together for 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

Remove the bay leaf and transfer the mixture in batches to a high speed blender and puree until smooth. Back in the saucepan the mixture goes.<\/p>\n

Add pepper paste (pictured above in the center) and chocolate to the mixture, and simmer for 5 minutes.<\/p>\n

Lastly, taste the sauce for spiciness and add additional pepper paste if needed, a tablespoon at a time.<\/p>\n

The delicious mol\u00e9 sauce is ready and was so easy to make.<\/p>\n

Don’t Forget the Disposable Gloves!<\/strong><\/p>\n

A compound in the chile pepper called capsaicin can cause a burning sensation to any part of the skin it touches. The tingly burning can last for hours and even longer depending on how many chiles you’ve touched. And can you imagine if you should rub your eyes? No thanks!<\/p>\n

I’m sure Joel will not be upset, but I can’t help but share this story.\u00a0Joel did his externship during culinary school at a restaurant famous for Southwestern cuisine. One of his first tasks was to clean case after case of dried chile peppers, an all day task. The simple process was explained, minus the importance of wearing gloves.<\/p>\n

It didn’t take long before Joel felt burning sensations in his hands and under his nails. He looked around to the chuckling of the other cooks who congratulated him on his initiation as an extern while handing him a pair of gloves. The burning pain lasted for 3 days, with Joel sleeping with a fan blowing on his hands.<\/p>\n

Tidbits<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
• This mol\u00e9 sauce is incredible in so many dishes, from enchiladas, tacos, chili, and tamales to tostadas, casseroles, burgers, bowls and more. Check out our post for Mol\u00e9 Nachos Especiales<\/a>, heaven on a plate!<\/li>\n
• Mol\u00e9 stems from the Nahuatl word “molli” which means “sauce.” Nahuatl is a widely spoken indigenous language predominately spoken in Central Mexico. It was once the most widely spoken language in the Aztec Empire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n