Mole poblano: Mexican chocolate turkey

To continue bringing you the culinary traditions of Christmas around the world, we’ve got you covered with tickets to Mexico! Come and discover the country that mixes turkey and chocolate… in the same dish!

25 degrees, clear skies, aperitifs and sunsets with your feet in the sand… Mexican December seems so far away from ours! And yet, on Christmas Eve, these differences disappear as families gather around the big Christmas tables.

So nothing else matters but enjoying the ones you love, for one magical evening. Nothing else matters, except perhaps… what’s on the table, and on our plates! Seafood platters, foie gras, salmon, turkey, logs: Christmas dinner is a time for decadence! But culinary traditions are obviously not the same the world over.

After discovering the history of the Italian panettone, then the origins of gingerbread throughout Europe, discover a surprising new recipe: Mexican chocolate turkey!

Come and taste the legendary origins of mole poblano, while savouring the historical anecdotes behind its origins.

1. Chocolate, long before mole poblano

While mole poblano – the chocolate sauce usually poured over pieces of turkey – originated in the 17th century, the history linking Mexico and chocolate goes back much further.

We have to go back to the Olmec, Aztec and Mayan civilizations to understand the origins of its consumption. Originating in the Nahuatl language like guacamole, « xocolatl » as we know it did not yet exist. At that time, chocolate was only consumed as a beverage, and its taste was extremely bitter. In fact, cocoa was only mixed with herbs and spices.

But already, its many « medicinal » properties were being promoted… so much so that the chocolate drink was considered a medicine! At the time, cocoa was considered a gift from the gods.

Black gold:

For the Olmec civilizations, the cocoa bean was a real treasure. And with good reason: it cost… more than gold! A symbol of abundance par excellence, its aphrodisiac virtues and stimulating effect were particularly appreciated by Olmec warriors .

Later, the arrival of great European explorers such as Christopher Columbus and Hernan Cortés encouraged the arrival of this beverage in Europe. Over the years, its composition changed. From being bitter and spicy, chocolate became much sweeter with the addition of sugar and then milk.

Long prepared only in convents, chocolate forms the basis of our story, just as it does in the sauce of Mexican « chocolate turkey ».

2. The genesis of the « mole…

There are many legends surrounding the creation of the mythical mole poblano, now considered by some to be the most representative dish of Mexico. While each of these versions diverges, they share many common points.

The most popular version is a tale worthy of a Christmas movie. The story takes us back to the dawn of the 17th century, when convents were springing up all over Mexico. One convent in particular, Santa Rosa, is at the heart of the story.

When Archbishop and Viceroy of Mexico Tomás Antonio de la Serna y Aragón visited Puebla, he fell under the spell of the small Mexican village that has now become a veritable metropolis. Located some 100 km north of Mexico City, Puebla de los Angeles should be a must-see on your next trip to Mexico. In fact, its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its architecture is a delight.

Conquered by the village’s narrow streets, the archbishop decided to spend a few days at the Santa Rosa convent. Hungry for food, he sends word to the nuns of his imminent arrival, asking them to serve him the best of their dishes. Surprised and totally bewildered, the nuns call on the only one among them with a real mastery of culinary combinations: Andrea de la Asunción.

The Dominican woman has the kitchen cupboards emptied, only to find that they are almost empty. Before her eyes appear only spices and chillies… Then she sets about preparing a sauce, called mulli, or « mole », which she will serve to accompany a turkey from the convent gardens. As the preparation nears completion, one of the convent’s Franciscans stumbles while putting away the spices.

…poblano »!

In his clumsiness, he spilled some chili pepper into young Andrea’s preparation, suddenly making the dish far too spicy. Realizing that it was impossible to serve this dish to the archbishop, Andrea had « the » revelation: add the sweetness of chocolate to counterbalance the excess chilli.

Remember: at the time, chocolate was almost exclusively made in convents! So the Dominican nun didn’t hesitate for a second, sure of her idea and the balance of tastes. No time to taste her new mole when the archbishop is already at the table.

So the young woman places two pieces of turkey on a plate, accompanied by a little rice. She covers the whole thing with the chili-chocolate sauce, then sprinkles a few sesame seeds on the plate to make it seem less bland. The result? The viceroy is delighted, and asks that this dish be served to him every day for a week!

On his return to the kingdom, he is said to have established the reputation of this dish, which has since become one of Mexico’s most festive dishes. For many decades, chocolate turkey has been eaten on festive days, from Christmas to the « Day of the Dead », an extremely symbolic holiday for Mexicans.

This version of the story is inevitably disputed, perhaps even envied in view of the dish’s notoriety. The names of the protagonists differ, as does whether or not chocolate was included in the recipe. However, the city of Puebla, the presence of an archbishop and the recipe from the convent seem to be points in common with each of these versions.

3. Mole poblano with chestnuts, our « Frenchized » recipe

The ingredients

• 1 nice turkey
• 500g plain chestnuts
• 10 poblano peppers
• 10 mulato peppers
• 5 pasilla peppers
• 500ml chicken stock
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 100g almonds
• 100g sesame seeds
• 4 tomatoes, peeled
• 2 tortillas, fried in oil and cut into pieces
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 5 cloves
• 40g dark chocolate (preferably Mexican)
• 200g butter
• Salt
• Pepper




Preparation

• Clean and cook the turkey in boiling water; continue preparation during cooking time;
• Chop the chillies and cook for an hour in boiling water;
• Once cooked, keep the water and discard the stems and seeds;
• Blend chillies, garlic, onions, almonds, peeled tomatoes, tortillas, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper;
• Add the chili soaking water sparingly, and half a liter of stock, and leave to thicken in your saucepan over a low heat, stirring continuously to ensure the sauce takes on a beautiful appearance;
• Once the turkey is cooked in boiling water, cut it up and finish cooking in butter in a large pot;
• In another saucepan, cook the chestnuts in a buttered frying pan;
• Stir your mole sauce into the pot, add stock to taste, and stir in the chocolate. When the chocolate has melted, your sauce is ready;
• Serve your turkey with its « mole poblano » sauce, accompanied by your cooked chestnuts. Sprinkle with a few sesame seeds.