Crepas de Mole

Tags

Cinco de Mayo, crepas de mole, Fiesta Friday, Fiesta Friday #36, Mexican cuisine, mole sauce, recipe, red mole sauce, savory crepes

How many draft posts can a blogger have, at one time, that would be considered normal? I heard that the very successful food blogger and author David Lebovitz, whose Facebook page I follow, has about 40 at any given moment. I’m not an author or a successful food blogger, but it feels good to be in the company of Mr. Lebovitz. I have roughly about the same number.

Most of them are abandoned half-written posts (I lost interest in the subject or I lost my train of thought). Many are boring and badly written posts (I was at a loss for words). Then there are posts that for one reason or another have no photos (I lost my mind, period).

In an attempt to be more organized and to clean-up my neglected drafts, I looked over them. And guess what? I found one ready to be published. A Cinco de Mayo post that somehow didn’t make it on Cinco de Mayo. I remember why. I made chicken in mole sauce. And you know, don’t you, that while chicken in mole sauce in an excellent dish, it just doesn’t photograph well?

Anyway, reading that post made me hungry for Mexican food. And reminded me that I have leftover mole sauce in the freezer. Since May! I decided to get over the part about “mole is not photogenic” and bring it to my fiesta. This time served over crepes instead of chicken pieces. Hopefully, you’ll think it looks appetizing. The taste, I can vouch, is muy excelente!

But now that you know about my draft post problem…. you won’t need an explanation, will you, if let’s say…. you see a Christmas or New year’s Day post on Halloween? 🙂

Difficulty: Moderate
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The crepes
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp fine cornmeal (masa harina)
A pinch of salt
1 x-large egg, beaten
1 tbsp oil
Butter

1. Mix the flour, masa harina, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Pour the milk and whisk until well-combined.
3. Add the beaten egg and oil and whisk until batter is smooth.
4. Set a 6-inch non-stick pan over medium heat, add a little butter and let it melt.
5. Pour about 3 tbsp batter, tilt and swirl pan to distribute batter evenly on the surface of the pan.
6. Cook for about 1 minute, or until edges appear dry. Flip and cook the other side for 10-20 seconds, or until lightly brown.
7. Transfer to a plate and repeat. Makes about 16 (6-inch) crepes. Set aside.

Easy red mole sauce
Making mole is a true labor of love. If you have the time and inclination, make a large batch and freeze some. On busy nights, however, without leftover mole, this makes a great substitute.

3 chiles anchos, stemmed and seeded
4 chiles guajillos, stemmed and seeded
3 Roma tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
1/2 onion
1/4 cup raisins, soaked in water
1/4 cup ground almond
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp dark chocolate morsels
1 – 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp lard or cooking oil

1. Toast the chiles in a skillet over medium heat. Use a spatula to press them against the bottom of the skillet. Toast until they begin to change color, about 1-2 minutes. Then soak them in warm water to cover and let them soften.
2. Roast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Place roasted vegetables in a blender, add chiles, raisins and stock. Purée until sauce is smooth.
3. Heat lard or oil in a saucepan, add the sauce and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add all spices and dried herbs and continue to cook until sauce is slightly reduced.
5. Add the ground almond and chocolate and continue to stir until chocolate is melted.
6. Add more stock if sauce is too thick. It should be the consistency of a thick creamy soup.

The filling
Cooked and shredded meat (beef, chicken or pork)
Grated cheese (Muenster or Jack cheese)

(You can easily make this vegetarian by omitting the meat or substituting with beans or other vegetables.)

Assembling the crepes
1. Place 1 to 2 tbsp of meat (depending on how thin or fat you want your crepes to be) in each crepe. Add 1 to 2 tbsp shredded cheese. Roll up, enchilada style.
2. Arrange in a single layer in an oven-proof dish.
3. Cover with sauce.
4. Bake in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Remove, sprinkle additional cheese and bake for additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

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Features from last week’s fiesta are:

Caramel Snickerdoodle Cake from Jess @Cooking Is My Sport.

Jess made a scrumptious cake to celebrate her birthday that she shared with her twin Jas. A caramel snickerdoodle cake! Doesn’t that sound so yummy? And how adorable are these two gals! Look at those smiles! Happy Birthday, Jess & Jas!

There were quite a few birthday posts last week. Prudy said it best, “It was a Happy Birthday kind of Fiesta Friday…. Some really beautiful sweets made with love in celebration of our friends or their loved ones….” Take a look at them:

Splendidly Chocolate from Loretta @Safari of the Mind
Boy’s Power Rangers Birthday Cake from Anjana @At the Corner of Happy and Harried
Dark Chocolate Cake from Nino @icookonboard
Eggless Blue Velvet Cake from Shikha @Chhapan Bhog
Cupcakes With Butter Cream Frosting from Nimmi @adorable life

Streusel Topped Apple Brioche from Hannah @Domestic Gothess.

In Naina’s words, “With all the wonderful apple recipes making the rounds, this one really stands out. The gorgeous braided brioche with that luscious apple pie filling. As if that wasn’t enough, there is streusel topping involved!! Perfect fall deliciousness!!”

Apple pies, I’ve always thought, top all other apple desserts. Until I saw this apple brioche! You cannot be serious, Hannah! I never thought I would ever say this, but I think on a good day, this might beat an apple pie. What an extraordinary apple recipe!

Spicy Apricot and Sausage Braid from Anna @thelittlebluemixer.

That’s one stunning-looking bread, Anna! Fantastic flavor combination of sweet apricots and savory sausages, not to mention the other interesting seasonings. Would have never thought of it, but really, it all makes sense. Thank you for sharing at the fiesta!

Chinese Red Pork Sausages from Mr Fitz @Cooking with Mr Fitz.

Really, Mr Fitz? How could you? Hanging all those links on that pretty cupboard? Your wife is a saint! If my husband did that, I’d stop talking to him at least for a week! Actually, if he were to do anything like this, the only links I’d allow him to hang on my cupboard would be these Chinese sausages. They sound so mouth-watering. I really should give sausage-making a try. No more excuses! (I want the exact measurements of all the ingredients, btw.)

No doubt about it, Mr Fitz. You are obviously one cool dude who makes his own sausages. I wish I was your neighbor! I know Naina feels the same way. This is what she has to say, “I’m not even fond of pork, and yet these sausages made my mouth water with their Oriental flavors! And they look so professionally done! I only wish I could make sausages that look anything like Mr Fitz’s.”

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Thank you, Naina and Prudy, for co-hosting and helping select these features! Now, say hello once again to the dream team! Who else? Selma and Elaine, of course. They’re ready to partay with you guys!

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