Roasted Pork in Molè Sauce, Holy Molè!!

Here is a recipe for a dish that takes several hours to prepare, but all of the work is well worth the wait.

It’s like a gift that just keeps on giving.  We enjoyed it the first night served over corn tortillas, which we tore into pieces and used as “carriers”, and loved the left-overs which we served with whole wheat tortillas as Pork Molè Burritos.  It’s a beautiful dish with a depth of flavor that is unparalleled. 

From our kitchen to yours.  Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Pork Mole

3 pounds Pork Tenderloin

1 Tbsp Paprika

1 tsp Kosher Salt

3 sprays, Cooking Spray

3 medium Poblano Chilies, dried, seeded, sliced, divided

2 medium Onions, thinly sliced, divided

¼ cup water

2 tsp Olive Oil

6 cloves Garlic, minced

3 Tbsp Chipotle in Adobo sauce

1 ½  Tbsp Cumin, ground

½ cup Cilantro, finely chopped

2 Tbsp Cocoa, unsweetened

3 cups tomatoes, fresh, chopped

½ cup Raisins, golden

3 Tbsp Peanut Butter, reduced fat

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 450°F.

Rinse and dry Pork tenderloin: Rub all over with Paprika and Kosher Salt.

Coat a large, heavy, oven-proof pot with cooking spray; Set over high heat.  Place seasoned Pork into pot and sear each side for about 45 seconds.

Remove pot from stove-top and place 1 whole sliced Pepper and 1 whole sliced Onion under Pork; Add water to the pot, cover, and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.  Reduce heat to 225°F and continue to cook for 2 additional hours.  When Pork has cooked for 1 ½ hours, start Mole sauce.

To make the Molè sauce, heat Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  When Oil begins to shimmer, add Garlic and Chipotle Pepper in Adobo sauce.  Sauté until Garlic starts to brown, about 1 minute.  Add remaining Onion and Pepper slices; Sauté until Onion starts to turn a golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in Cumin, ¼ cup Cilantro and Cocoa; Mix well until everything is incorporated. Stir in Tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.

When the Pork’s cooking time is up, remove pot from the oven, but leave the oven on.  Remove the Pork to a cutting board; Remove vegetables and juice from the pot and add those to the skillet containing the Mole sauce.  Add the Peanut Butter and Raisins to the sauce.  Mix well and simmer for about 5 minutes more.

Working in small batches, puree the Molè sauce in a food processor until it is thick and smooth.

Thinly slice the Pork and return it to the pot, placing a small amount of pureed sauce beneath the Pork. Cover the sliced Pork with the remaining sauce and cook 1 hour more.

Remove from the oven and serve garnished with the remaining ¼ cup of finely chopped Cilantro.

Yields about 16 servings, 1 cup each, of meat and sauce.  PointsPlus value per serving is 4. Whole Wheat and/or Corn tortillas, taco size, have a PointsPlus value of 2 each. Prep time is about 30 minutes. Cooking time is about 3 ½ hours. Level of difficulty is Moderate.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers Intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I tend to "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes and ideas. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh