In Honor of National Chocolate Day, Try Some Mole

Today, December 28, is national chocolate day. That is great for chocoholics everywhere. But what if you don't have a sweet tooth? Well, there is at least one way that I know of to enjoy chocolate on this day that is not sweet. I'm talking about mole. Mole is a traditional Mexican savory sauce that can be used with just about anything. Mole, like Mexican cuisine itself, has a considerable number of variations dependent on region, custom, family tradition, even an individual cook's style. The most "typical" mole people think of is a thick rich dark brown to brick red concoction made of dried chiles, peanuts, other spices, and unsweetened chocolate.

To make truly authentic Mexican mole is a long arduous process involving multiple steps as well as a plethora of ingredients. For this reason mole sauce bases are the easiest way to prepare it. Even in Mexico it is not uncommon to use a premade base. However, those are usually available at the local market and usually prepared by the person selling it. Here in the US, there are many brands you can find at your local supermarket. El Mexicano, Doña Maria, and La Costeña come to mind. They are typically concentrated so you will have to add liquid to it.

If you are willing to and brave enough, you can always try making your own. The internet is filled with recipes for all levels of cooking acumen. In fact, here are some good ones:

Authentic Mole Recipe

Quick Chicken Mole Recipe

Mole Sauce Recipe

Rick Bayless Red Mole Sauce


So there you have it. Mole sauce works well on everything from chicken to shrimp to even eggs. On this national day of chocolate go out and enjoy some chocolate, even without a sweet tooth.

Don't Mistake the Steak Sauce

Let me first start by saying that for the most part I am not a fan of using steak sauce on an actual steak.  For me, the flavor of a good steak should stand on its own with little more seasoning than some salt and pepper.  That being said, I have come to realize and accept that steak sauce has its place and can serve as another condiment option.  So what does that mean exactly?  If I am not using steak sauce on steak, then what is it for?  Well, for starters it goes great on burgers.  It can be used as a substitute for either ketchup or BBQ sauce.  It goes well with chicken or pork.  The only real limitation is what you want to do it.  Get creative and crazy.  You never know what you might come up with or accidentally discover.

In today's culinary world steak sauce wide variation and diversity.  The most commonly known steak sauce is A.1. Steak Sauce.  But that is far from the only one.  It seems every grocer has at least half a dozen options on the shelves for everyone's particular taste ranging form the sweet and tart to the hot and smoky.  The origins of steak sauce come from Great Britain and something they called "brown sauce". 

Truth is you don't need any fancy labels to enjoy a great steak sauce.  You can make one yourself quite easily.  And the thing about making your own is that you can customize and adjust it to your liking.  I am including a recipe for a very basic steak sauce.  From here you can take it and make it your own.  If you like it spicier, add a little of your favorite hot sauce.  If you like it sweeter, try some brown sugar or molasses to your liking. 


2 cups ketchup
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup vinegar (apple cider or red wine work best)
2 tbsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

Mix all the ingredients in a heavy sauce pan and let them simmer on low to medium-low heat for at least half an hour.  This will allow the flavors to meld and mingle.  

Bolognese Sauce

A little preface if you will.  At my current job, I am in charge of the Italian food station.  That means I prepare the daily special as well as preparing the sauces (marinara, alfredo, and pesto) for the pasta bar.  This is an area that I am enjoying very much and am quite good at, if I do say so myself.  Therefore, I will probably write a series of post about Italian food and my work at this station.

That being said, I am covering a quite tasty sauce today. Bolognese sauce, if you have not already figured it out, comes to us from Bologna, Italy.  It is a ragu, in other words, a meat sauce.  If you want to stay traditional, then Bolognese is often slow cooked with vegetables and minced or ground meat such as beef and pork(pancetta) and served only with certain types of pastas.  That is all fine and good.  I am sure there is many an Italian grandma that could thoroughly school me on the finer points of a well made Bolognese sauce.  However, I am here to show you how to make a simply and quite tasty version.

The basics of this sauce are essentially: meat, mushrooms, and tomato.  Now with those basics you could very easily make a Bolonese sauce that would be serviceable, but lets face it.  We want some pazaz!  So, what do we bring to the party to give it a little more flair you ask?  Herbs and spices to start.  Nothing helps Italian food like some nice herbs and spices.  Some black pepper and salt for seasoning, parsley for color and oregano, rosemary and a hint of thyme for flavor.  Onion and garlic will serve as your aromatics.  If you really want to get fancy, you can always add some shallots.

Let's look at those basics again for just a second.  First of all, what do I mean by meat?  Well, generally I am speaking of ground beef.  That being said, you can just as easily use ground turkey, chicken, or pancetta.  Hell, Italian sausage works well with it too.  As far as the mushrooms go, you can go wrong with your everyday white buttons, but once again feel free to experiment.  The tomato part of the equation is also variable.  You can go with ripe tomatoes you picked and diced yourself, although this would add time to your cooking.  You can just as easily open up a jar of your favorite pasta sauce and use that.
Me personally like to use a combination of canned tomatoes (Italian style or with garlic and olive oil) and tomato paste. 

So, let's get stared.  First thing, first.  If you are a culinary professional, then you are taught that before you even get started on the cooking you must get everything prepped.  That means chopping your garlic and herbs, dicing your onion and slicing or chopping your mushrooms if they have not been previously processed.  For the garlic  and herbs keep in mind that while fresh is always better, dried can work. Once you have done this you can begin cooking.  First step is to add a little oil to your sauce pan and heat it up.  Next add your aromatics (onion and garlic) and cook until they get translucent and you can really smell them.

Next add your meat and brown.  Now, you don't have to cook it all the way through. You also have the option of adding your seasoning at this point.  I'm talking about the salt and pepper and all the herbs except the parsley.  After you have browned your meat you can add your mushrooms and cook them a bit Afterward add enough water to mostly cover everything and turn up the heat to full.  This will help that water boil away while it finishes cooking the meat.  If the meat is still in clumps you can break it apart as it cooks.  One other note, if you want to reduce the fat used to cook the sauce, skip the oil in the pan and just add the water at the very beginning.  You won't get browning, but you will still cook everything together.

After the meat is cooked and the water is mostly boiled off, add your tomatoes.  I use canned tomatoes and tomato paste so that I can control the consistency of the sauce.  Too thick, add some more tomatoes.  Too thin, then more paste is needed. Keep in mind that if your sauce is ever too thin, add some tomato paste.  After you have gotten your sauce to the consistency you like, taste it and adjust the seasoning.  Just keep in mind you can always add more, but you can't really take it out. 

Now, just let the sauce simmer for about 15- 20 min.  At the end of this time, add your parsley.  The reason you add it at the very end is so that it keeps its bright green color longer than if you added it earlier.  In fact, another option is just to sprinkle it over the top of the sauce as a garnish.

It is now ready. Just serve it up over or tossed with your favorite pasta. Lastly I just want to say two things: First I have never claimed that this was an authentic Bolognese sauce.  It is just what I have made at work.  Secondly I know I have not included amounts.  This is just general guidelines for making Bolognese sauce.  But for those who need more specific amounts, well here you go:

1 Lbs meat
1 lbs mushrooms
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup parsley
1-2 tablespoons oregano
1-2 tablespoons rosemary
1-2 teaspoons thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 or 2 cans of tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
       OR
1 jar of tomato pasta sauce