Mole by Chef Mario Medina

In his childhood, Mario Medina spent many days in the kitchen with his mother in Mexico City. This instilled in him a deep passion for food that would in turn inspire his journey to become a chef. After completing a culinary program in his hometown, Mario left for the United States to follow his dream. Working and learning in some of the finer kitchens on the west coast, Mario quickly established a reputation for excellent food and sincere hospitality, driven by his desire to please every guest. His dream was soon realized when, in less than a year as Sous Chef at Chateau La Jolla Inn, he was offered the position of Executive Chef. Mario next took the helm at Paradise Grill in Del Mar, and is now leading the kitchen at Finch’s Bistro & Wine Bar in La Jolla.

Although still young, Mario has garnered significant critical acclaim through appearances in many print and television features. He has appeared in magazines Where, Riviera, Fine Ranch & Coast, and Mexico Aqui, as well as numerous local television news channels and programs. He has also been a participating chef for numerous fundraisers and events such as the 2014 Cooking for Cancer event in La Jolla, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Mama’s Kitchen, 2014 Taste of the Cove, the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival, and the Latin Food Festival to name a few. He is featured in a cookbook showcasing San Diego’s top chefs, San Diego Chef’s Table: Extraordinary Recipes from American’s Finest City, and is a weekly recipe contributor to 860 AM Radio and Mexico Aqui magazine. Mario’s ongoing commitment to excellence and his genuine hospitality, paired with his passion and love of food, always ensures his guests leave happy.

Lately, he has been a featured Chef at the 2014 San Diego Wine & Food Festival as well as the Latin Food Festival. He finished an eventful 2014 by emerging victorious from an Iron Chef face-off hosted by Harvard Cooking Girl in La Jolla. He is a proud official member of the San Diego Chef de Cuisine Association.

Select Awards:

2014 Chula Vista Harbor Fest “Crowd Cravings” Award
ChefWorks Featured Chef of the Month, August 2014

Featured Chef: 2014 Latin Food Festival, 2014 San Diego Wine & Food Festival 

Chef Mario has a great contribution to my blog today with this recipe one of the most antics mexican dishes. "Mole" and he also representing the Mexican cuisine Internationally at ExpoMilan2015 in Italy.  

Mole poblano style Chef Mario Medina

Ingredients

2 lb dried mulato pepper

10 black peppercorns

1/4 cup Kosher salt

1/2 cup sesame seeds

2 bolillo bread 

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon anise seeds

1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 lb dried guajillo chile peppers

1 lb dried ancho chile peppers

6 tablespoons canola oil

2 yellow onion

2 garlic head

2 lb green plantain (platano macho)

1/4 cup raisins

5 cloves

1 pz ginger

2 lb apple

1 lb peanut

1/4 cup whole blanched almonds

1/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds

2 6 -inch corn tortillas, torn into pieces

1 2 .7-ounce disk Mexican chocolate, broken into pieces

Pinch of sugar

Directions

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing, until golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside 2 tablespoons for garnish and transfer the rest to a blender. In the same skillet, toast the cloves, cinnamon stick, and anise and coriander seeds until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add to the blender.

Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chile peppers. Heat 4 tablespoons canola oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the chiles and fry until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water and set aside to soak until pliable, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the raisins, almonds, pumpkin seeds and tortilla pieces to the oil in the skillet and cook, stirring, until the seeds and tortillas are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add to the blender along with the oil from the skillet. Add the softened chiles and puree, pouring in 2 to 3 cups of the soaking liquid to make a thick, smooth sauce.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chile sauce and fry, stirring, until thickened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add 4 cups of the reserved chicken cooking liquid and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 20 minutes. Add the chocolate and simmer, stirring frequently, until the chocolate melts and the sauce reduces, about 20 more minutes. Add the sugar and season with salt.

Add the chicken pieces to the sauce and warm through over low heat. Garnish with the reserved sesame seeds.