What is Mole?

Most people associate the term mole with mole poblano, a sauce with a slightly murky history that usually contains chocolate. Although the origins of this classic paste are disputed, the most common story attributes its invention to enterprising nuns from the Convent of Santa Rose in Puebla, Mexico, who hastily put together the ingredients to address a surprise visit by the archbishop. The inclusion of chocolate is a distinguishing feature of their mole, but across Mexico less-auspicious versions are widely used in everyday dishes. Prepared moles are often sold at local markets and distinguished by color–in my experience, green, yellow and black. They are fairly simply, readily available sauces, based on chiles, complementary spices and aromatics,  and Mexican cooks routinely use prepared versions as convenience foods, to jump-start dishes that would otherwise be time-consuming to prepare.

Many people dislike the intensely herbaceous flavor of this herb, but I use it often – usually in salsas that I serve with grilled fish or meat. Its pungent, almost citrusy flavor is a beautiful compliment to spicy ingredients, such as chiles. Cilantro belongs to the same horticultural family as parsley. It provides a smattering of vitamins and minerals but its real worth seems to lie in its antioxidant power and its valuable phytonutrients. Among its benefits, it is reputed to be helpful in removing toxic metals from the body and may help to prevent anemia.

Know Your Oregano

If your recipe calls specifically for Mexican oregano, I recommend that you try to access that variety, which is usually available in Latin American markets. It is not the same as the Mediterranean version, known as Origanum vulgare. Although there are different types of Mexican oregano, most belong to the verbena family. Mexican oregano is sun-dried and provides a similar but more robust flavor than its European counterpart; it has strong citrus notes.