Yes, we still have turkey. Uh oh – hope I didn’t make you roll your eyes . . . Yes, another turkey recipe: Turkey Enchiladas in Mole. Never had mole? Boy, are you in for a treat!!
Turkey Enchiladas in Mole
I’m crazy for this recipe. My ex-mother-in-law, who taught me everything I know about Mexican cooking, made these for me when we visited her in Colorado Springs one Christmas. She went all out for dinner, but the real treat was the next day, when she used leftover turkey to make enchiladas. Oh my, my mouth is watering.
I’m also crazy for this mole. When my-then-husband and I would visit my family in Northwest Indiana, we would buy jars of this stuff to send to Carmen for Christmas, which she couldn’t find in Colorado – that and A&P Eight O’Clock coffee. Rather than use a red or green canned enchilada sauce, she brought out one of her prized jars of powdered El Popular Mole – Merry Christmas! Thus began a mole addiction I haven’t been able to shake – but I’m not trying very hard – at all.
Look for El Popular Mole in Mexican grocery stores. It comes in powder or paste forms. If you can’t find it on the shelf, it can be ordered directly from El Popular in East Chicago, Indiana. I’ve used other moles, but for my money there’s nothing that compares to the flavor and complexity of El Popular. When it’s reconstituted with stock to make the sauce, there is no better smell on earth. I literally close my eyes and take a deep whiff. You can taste the chilies and some of the bitterness of the chocolate, but it’s not too spicy or overwhelming. The flavor lingers in your mouth, and eager for the next bite. PERFECT! for turkey or chicken.
All you have to do is simmer the mole in turkey or chicken stock. I had homemade turkey stock on hand – that’s what I used. Or you could boil a chicken for the enchiladas, and use that stock. Or you could use canned chicken or turkey stock. I reconstituted the dried powder with 2 cups of stock to 4 heaping Tablespoons of mole powder. Warm the mole over low medium heat, until it begins to gently simmer. Stir with a whisk until thickened, the consistency of gravy. If it becomes too thick, add stock. If it needs to be thicker, add more mole powder. It just isn’t any easier than that.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Have about 2-3 cups of shredded turkey on hand, 10-12 small flour tortillas, a 9″x13″ pan, and a sheet tray for rolling the enchiladas. Once the mole has thickened, turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Begin dipping the tortillas, one at a time, into the mole. Flip so both sides are coated. Remove the tortilla with tongs to the sheet tray. Take 2-3 Tablespoonsful of turkey. Place at one end of the tortilla, and roll everything up into a nice fat enchilada. Place seam side down in the 9’x13″ pan that has been sprayed lightly with vegetable spray and coated with a thin layer of the mole.
Pour all the remaining mole over the enchiladas. Top with a layer of medium cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 minutes. Add another layer of cheese. Return to the oven, until all the cheese is melted and the mole is bubbling around the edges.
There you have it! Such a wonderful diversion from traditional turkey leftover dishes. I made guacamole and Ben’s Hot & Fresh Salsa to serve along side. We normally top enchiladas with salsa, shredded lettuce, and guacamole. You could serve with dollops of sour cream. And refried beans and/or Mexican rice as side dishes. Olé!
- 2-3 cups of cooked turkey or chicken, shredded
- 2 cups of turkey or chicken stock
- 4 heaping Tablespoons powdered El Popular Mole
- 2 cups medium cheddar cheese, shredded
- 10-12 small flour tortillas, 6-8 inches in diameter
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the stock and mole. Whisk until the powder is dissolved. Cook until the mole simmers, darkens, and thickens. Whisk periodically. Turn down heat to low.
- Dip the tortillas into the warm mole, one at a time. Flip to make sure both sides are coated.
- Using tongs, remove the tortilla to the sheet pan. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of the shredded turkey at one end of the tortilla, and roll up into an enchilada.
- Place the enchilada, seam side down, into a 9"x13" pan that has been lightly sprayed with vegetable oil and lightly coated with 3-4 Tablespoons of mole.
- Continue to roll the enchiladas, until all ingredients are used.
- Top with ½ of the cheese. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove, top with the remaining cheese, return to oven, uncovered, to bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the mole is gently bubbling along the sides of the pan.
- Place the enchilada pan on a cooling rack. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve
Be sure the mole is warm, not hot, when you dip and roll the tortillas. They're so much easier to make.
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