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

Tex-Mex Chicken Casserole

Whether you’re preparing for a fiesta or simply a quite dinner for two, here’s a festive dish that is certain to be a big hit.  And, the WW PointsPlus value is so low you won’t have to feel bad having an extra helping.

From our kitchen to yours.  Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Tex-Mex Chicken Casserole

12 oz Chicken Breast, cut into strips for stir frying

4 cloves of Garlic, minced

1 tsp Chili Powder

2 tsp Canola Oil

1 medium Onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 medium Red or Green Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped

1 box (10 0z) Spinach, frozen and chopped, thawed and squeezed dry

1 ½ cups Salsa, mild

4 (6 inch) corn tortillas, coarsely torn

¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese, reduced fat, shredded

¼ tsp Red Pepper flakes, dried

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat a large, unheated non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Preheat skillet over medium-high heat.  In a medium bowl, combine Chicken, Garlic, and Chili Powder.  Add to skillet. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, until Chicken is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Remove Chicken from skillet and set aside.

Pour Oil into hot skillet.  Add Onion and Bell Pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in Spinach.

Coat a 2 quart square baking dish with cooking spray.  Spread about ½ cup of Salsa into the bottom of the dish.  Top with half of the Tortilla pieces, half of the Chicken mixture, and half of the vegetable mixture.  Pour half of the remaining Salsa over the vegetables and cover with half of the cheese.  Repeat previous step without adding any of the remaining cheese.

Bake, covered, 30 – 35 minutes, until heated through. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

Yields 6 servings. PointsPlus value per serving is 5. Prep time is 20 minutes. Cooking time is 30 – 35 minutes. Level of difficulty is  

Photo by Barry Baruh

Brick Grilled Chicken with Cappelini and Swiss Chard

Today’s featured recipe is Judy’s and my version of one of our favorite menu items at Ristorante Forli in Alamo, California.  On the menu they call it Chicken Semplice. It is basically a Rosemary Chicken cooked on the Barbeque Grill while covered with a brick.  The Cappelini Aglio Olio is my addition to the dish. The Swiss Chard, in this instance Red Chard, is Judy’s.

When we are looking for a simple, guilt free, dish loaded with flavor this is our “go to” meal.  

From our kitchen to yours.  Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Chicken

1 pc Quartered Chicken, Drumstick and Thigh, with Skin and Bone

Brick Chicken with Cappelini and Red Swiss Chard

1 Tbsp Rosemary, dried

½ tsp Black Pepper

½ Tsp Paprika

1 Tsp Garlic, minced

1 Tsp Olive Oil

1 Red Clay Brick, cover with foil

Chard

½  pkg Swiss Chard, fresh with main stem removed

2 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced

½ cup Chicken broth, Fat free, low sodium

¼  tsp Black Pepper

Pasta

1 cup Cappelini, whole wheat, cooked and drained

3 cloves Garlic thinly sliced

¼ cup Olive Oil

Instructions

Note; The Chicken will cook for about 14 - 16minutes, 7 - 8 minutes per side. The Cappelini will cook for about 5 minutes and the Chard will cook for about 3 minutes.  So that everything finishes together stagger the starting times.

Preheat foil covered Brick on grill for about 10 minutes.

Season quartered Chicken, Drumstick and Thigh, with Rosemary, Pepper, Paprika and Garlic. Rub with Olive Oil.  Set Aside while brick is heating.  When ready, place Chicken on grill Skin Side down. Cover with a brick and cook for about 7 minutes on low heat. Turn Chicken and cook another 7 minutes covered with the brick. Check for doneness.

In a medium saucepan heat Chicken broth, Garlic, and Black Pepper

Coarsely chop Swiss Chard to 2” pieces.  Add Swiss Chard to saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes on medium high. Remove from heat. Cover with foil. Serve when ready.

In a small saucepan heat garlic cloves, over low heat, in Olive Oil for 3 – 4 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with foil.

In a medium pot bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add Cappelini and cook for 5 minutes, check for doneness.  Drain in a colander, place back in pot and add Garlic and Oil (Aglio Olio) sauce. Serve. When ready.

Yields 1 serving(s).  PointsPlus value per serving, including Pasta and Swiss Chard is 13. Prep time is about 10 minutes. Cooking time is about 15 minutes. 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