Mole & Flower Moon Tortilla Chilaquiles
Notes on Mole
Seeds browning in a pan, favorite song playing from the living room, an early spring breeze entering through the kitchen side door and already roasted poblanos, tomatillos and chilis waiting to be mixed, in separate bowls, on the counter.
It is Sunday and I am making mole for a dinner party at my cabin. The preparation practice has evolved over these last few years, as my hands lead my body around the kitchen, with memorized patterns of; chopping, grilling and mixing. Taking from bags of herbs and bottles of spices - never measured, always felt - a cooking habit passed down.
As I stand over a large table of ingredients, I realize that making mole has become a part of me, an extension of myself as a cook and a strong character trait of my kitchen. The warm burn of poblano sauce on my wrist, as hot splashes reach my skin, aprons and kitchen towels stained, while pots show their age. Devoted time standing over the stove with a wooden spoon in hand, stirring stirring stirring.
Yes, all I have learned about preparing food is true: it is a love offering - preparing food is a great teacher, a meditation and some believe it is also a prayer... Ultimately for me, it is an exchange that links family, friends and strangers to each other. Mole, like many recipes, contains a memory that can never be erased. Something learned and also a story that continues to be written - holding onto what was, while growing with time, keeping a Family Food Tradition alive.
Mole Chilaquiles with Flower Moon Tortillas Recipe
Growing up in the southwest, I remember eating a lot of Chilaquiles and many tortilla chips. I remember the burnt smell of mole if the person on stirring duty became distracted as the pot of mole cooked. With mole, there is an agreement you make with the process, that once you begin, you are fully devoted from start to finish.
I first tried Mole Chilaquiles in South Tucson, there was a small adobe house that had a restaurant in the backyard. On the weekends, the chef served her Chilaquiles with crispy tortillas, not tortilla chips. This was new for me and I think perhaps the first time I realized that Mexican food was so expansive, not only throughou Mexico, but there, in my small Southwest town. The core elements of tradition poured out of every dish, yet there were mild differences. Did I understand then that this is what Family Food Traditions meant to me…a part of me believes so, because after that realization, I became completely fascinated by food and stories about Soldaderas. After hearing many stories of their bravery and traveling kitchens, I had even named my restaurant after one of the woman soldiers.
The Adelitas or Soldaderas were women soldiers who fought in the Mexican Revolution and also cooked. The revolutionaries and Soldaderas moved often and by train - they were not able to carry much with them. but tortillas were easy to bring and a staple food. At the time, people wouldn’t fry their chilaquiles. The left over tortillas from the day before, would harden with time or from the heat of the sun. The next day, after being soaked in sauce, the tortillas would come back to life!
When making these Chilaquiles, I think of this story and how recipes evolve over time. For this recipe, we used Masa Memory Tortillas and New Moon Mole. Next week we will announce a new shop in LA carrying our Mole. I am so excited to have it available as a local offering! This recipe is more of an instruction guide on how to build your Chilaquiles. If you do not know how to make mole, or do not have a spot near you to buy… You can use green or red chili salsa. For visual instructions, see our Mole Chilaquiles Instagram post!
Chilaquiles Steps
Step One: Tortillas
Have fun with this step! Making your tortillas will never disappoint, for this dish. Otherwise, you can buy corn tortillas at the shop and fry them at home (we love using avocado oil!) You can also bake them or the quickest way is to buy a bag of your favorite tortilla chips. We cooked our tortillas a little longer for this version of Chilaquiles, letting them get a nice crisp.
Step Two: Sauce
We use our New Moon Mole, but you can find delicious moles at your local store - or even experiment with paste. You can also pickup Masa Memory New Moon Mole in LA. (announcement next week!) If Mole feels s a little more of a commitment than you have time for… red or green salsa is a perfect go to!
Step Three: Gather your Toppings
Crema (we use our coconut crema)
Cotija cheese or Queso Fresco (You can really use any cheese you prefer for this) I like to make coconut feta and substitute that for cotija
Green salsa - we made a roasted tomatillo salsa
Avocado slices
Pickled onions
Cilantro
Lime
Sea salt
Step Four: Layering
Pour mole onto a plate and spread using a spoon. Place your tortillas or chips on top of the mole and top your tortillas with another layer of mole. After this step, pour your crema, cheese and then salsa over the tortillas. Once all of your sauces are on, start topping with dry ingredients: Avocado slices, pickled onions, cilantro and sea salt. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice and of course hot sauce!
! Provecho !