Tablecoth Stainer - Enchilada Sauce
Our Oaxacan spice blend is based on the flavors of a traditional red mole sauce. We developed our recipe for Oaxaca after visiting the city, touring the markets and taking cooking classes with local chefs. Oaxaca, Mexico is the home of seven different mole’s. Mole is a complex mixture of sometimes over 20 different ingredients all individually toasted and ground by hand, our aim here is to do most of that work for you.
The Deliciouser Oaxaca spice blend combines three different chilies with true Sri Lanka cinnamon, organic raw cocoa and Demerara sugar along with a host of other ingredients produced in small batches by hand.
This dark red concoction will find many uses in your kitchen, from livening up a pot of black beans or chili to braising chicken or beef and of course making terrific simple enchiladas with a complexity usually reserved for restaurant tables. Our goal has always been to cook food with a story. To cook with respect and to honor the history and connection these recipes have to people and place. We have always believed that the best compliment a cook can receive is “your cooking reminds me of my grandmother”! That said we hope you enjoy this recipe and share it with the ones you love.
Ingredients:
2 pounds Roma tomatoes
1 large white onion, peeled and quartered
3 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp. Oaxaca spice blend
Salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup lard - (optional)
2 Tbsp.. Apple cider vinegar
Recipe:
Using a large dry cast iron skillet or sheet pan roast the tomatoes, onions and garlic in a hot 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Better yet cook under the broiler until the tomatoes slightly blacken and blister. Take care not to totally burn the veggies, stirring once or twice during the process, broiling will cut your cooking time in half.
When the tomatoes and onions are slightly charred and have begun to show some signs of wilting and caramelization you're ready to pull the pan from the oven.
Slip the skins from the roasted garlic and return the cloves to the pan.
On the stovetop add the chicken stock to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Scrape up all of the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in 2 Tbsp. of Oaxaca spice blend and reduce heat to simmer. Continue to cook stirring frequently until the liquid is reduced by about one third.
Season the sauce to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat and carefully purée the sauce in a blender. Take care to start the blender slowly and gradually increase speed to avoid the chance of burns or a mess. When the sauce is smooth pass it through a fine mesh strainer.
At this point the sauce is ready to use although the additional step of frying the sauce in lard and sharpening the final seasoning with a bit of apple cider vinegar take it to a whole new level.
Next level pro tip: frying the sauce is the final step which imparts a very traditional and authentic flavor to your finished dish.
In a large Dutch oven over high heat add the lard and cook until shimmering and aromatic, about 2 minutes.
Carefully pour the sauce into the hot pan in a steady stream whisking all the while. The hot sauce will bubble and splatter a bit so take care while continuing to whisk.
Soon the lard and sauce will become one, reduce heat to low and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
Remove finished sauce from the heat and whisk in the apple cider vinegar a small bit at a time to taste.