[CH] Holy -- ! There really IS a Holy Mole!

Alex Silbajoris (asilbajo@hotmail.com)
Fri, 12 May 2000 10:00:52 PDT 

Ah, for pleasant spring days, when the breeze is fresh and it's a short 
lunchtime walk from the office to the sale rack in front of the Borders 
bookstore ...

For $5 I got The Mexican Gourmet by Maria Dolores Torres Yzabal and Shelton 
Wiseman.  This is the kind of glossy, well-illustrated cookbook my sister 
and I like.  Just starting to skim through it, on p. 182 I see Mole de Hoja 
Santa (Acuyo), translated as Holy Leaf Mole.

"This mole recipe is from Chelo Arrubarena from Puebla.  It is different 
from many of the other moles which feature in Mexican cooking because of the 
strong, anise-like taste of the hoja santa leaves, (also called acuyo 
leaves) combined with the flavor of cumin and the sweetness of plantain."

1 lb rump steak, cut into small cubes
5 cups water
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
10 hoja santa leaves,
   (or fennel leaves with black pepper)
6 serrano chiles, or to taste, diced
1/4 tsp cumin
1 plantain, unpeeled
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp all-purpose flour

Cook the meat in the water with 1/2 the onion, the garlic, and salt, for 20 
minutes or until tender.  Drain, reserving 1-1/2 cups (375ml) of the stock, 
and discard the onion and garlic.

Devein the hoja santa leaves and tear them into small pieces.  Process, 
along with the chiles, cumin, and most of the reserved stock in a food 
processor until smooth.

Cut off the ends of the plantain and cut into 12 pieces.  Boil in salted 
water for 10 minutes (the plantain should still be firm) and peel.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Chop the remaining half 
onion and cook in the oil until translucent.  Add the flour and stir until 
browned.  Add the meat, hoja santa mixture, and plantain, then heat through. 
  The mole should be thick but not pasty; thin with a little stock if 
necessary.

- A

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