Cola de Res al Mole (Oxtail Mole)

If I had to identify the one thing about cooking that most intrigues me, it is the mole. A mole is a traditional sauce that is a fundamental part of the cuisine throughout the Estados Unidos Mexicanos.  I have spent some time on my blog talking about the different types of moles and even a little about the history of mole sauces.  I even prepared a mole, a Mole Verde Zacatano, which is one of the simpler moles that comes from the State of Zacatecas.  

However, as much as these sauces have interested me, I have not been able to explore them as much as I would have liked.  I needed something to get myself back on track when it came to learning about these sauces.  That "something" just happened to be a cut of meat that I have never prepared before ... oxtail.

A long time ago, oxtail was actually the tail of an ox.  The ingredient was used in connection with the "nose to tail" philosophy of using all parts of an animal.  The tail often made its way into soups and stews, such as those that were first prepared by French Huguenots and Flemish who lived in Britain during the seventeenth century. Oxtails lend themselves to slow cooking, because they are full of collagen.  As that collagen breaks down, it infuses the liquid with a lot of flavor.  The use of oxtails, especially oxtail stew, has become a feature of many cuisines across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. 

But it was one recipe that immediately caught my eye and returns us to the subject at hand: a recipe for Oxtail Mole (Cola de Res al Mole).  I now found myself back on the path of learning about these wonderful sauces.  Two Mexican States lay claim to the original mole sauces: Oaxaca and Puebla. (A third Mexican State, Tlaxcala, also has a claim, but most of the articles that I have read focus on the Oaxacan and Pueblan origin stories.) Puebla is best known for the mole poblano, while Oaxaca is known for seven moles: mole colorado, mole negro, mancha manteles, mole verde, mole amarillo, mole chichilo, and mole coloradito.  Each sauce is a labor intensive effort, following a general pattern that begins with the roasting of whole spices and continues with the grinding of those spices into a paste, the addition of stock at low temperatures until the sauce begins to form. 

I am not too sure where this recipe fits into the mole universe. The recipe comes from McCormick, the global corporation that manufactures and sells a whole range of spices.  I initially viewed the recipe with some suspicion.  After all, I did not think that a multi-national corporation would put much thought into a very particular element of Mexican cuisine. There was no explanation as to the source of the recipe, or its ties to the moles of any particular Mexican State. Nevertheless, the thought of preparing an oxtail mole won me over because it was so different than preparing oxtail stew. 

In the end, it was worth the effort to make this dish.  The recipe provided a good way to introduce myself to the use of oxtail. I can also sort-of notch another effort at making a mole-style sauce. It feels a little like skirting around Oaxaca or Puebla, trying to make an easy mole without diving into the full process of making one of the more traditional sauces.  Still, I have a lot of time to continue building on these experiences.  I just have to find that time.  

COLA DE RES AL MOLE

Recipe adapted from McCormick

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds of oxtails, about 12 pieces
• 1.5 tablespoons coriander seed, ground
• 1.5 tablespoons sesame seed
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground Saigon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons anise seed, crushed
• 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cups carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 pound pearl onions, peeled
• 1 cup red wine
• 2.5 cups beef stock
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablesoons sugar
• 1 ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped

Directions:

1. Prepare the oxtails.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mix the seasonings (coriander, sesame seed, black pepper, cinnamon, salt, anise seed, and smoked paprika) in a shallow dish.  Coat the oxtails with seasoning mixture.

2. Brown the oxtails. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven on medium high heat.  Add half of the oxtails, cook on all sides until browned.  Remove oxtails.  Repeat iwth the remaining two tablespoons of oil and oxtails.  

3.  Cook the vegetables.  Add carrots to pan, cook and stir on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown.  Add pearl onions and garlic, cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned.  

4.  Prepare the base.  Add wine, stir to loosen browned bits in the bottom of the pan.  Stir in beef stock and tomato paste. Bring to boil. Return oxtails to pan.  Cover.  

5. Braise the oxtails.  Braise the oxtails in the oven for 2.5 hours or until the oxtails are tender.  Transfer oxtails and vegetables to a serving platter and keep warm .

6.  Finish the mole.  Stir sugar into pan.  Simmer 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.  Remove from heat.  Add chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted.  Skim fat from liquid.  Spoon sauce over the oxtails and vegetables.