F&W Free Preview All You Coastal Living Cooking Light Food and Wine tab Health myRecipes Southern Living Sunset

Grilled Steaks with Ancho Mole Sauce

  • ACTIVE: 50 MIN
  • TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS
  • SERVINGS: 6

In Texas, every cook has his or her own closely guarded recipe for the Mexican chocolate-and-chile sauce called mole, invariably making it for the holidays and other special occasions. "I've sampled mole from El Paso to Matamoros," says Louis Lambert. "It has taken me many years and many attempts to perfect my own version." He serves his mole, which has a delicious smoky flavor, with hearty cuts of grilled beef like porterhouse or the grilled strip steaks here.

Our Pairing Suggestion

The smoky, fruity ancho chiles here make this dish exceptionally good with red wine, especially a substantial variety such as Zinfandel. In California, Amador County's hot summer days produce rich Zinfandels with a smoky edge.

Recipe: Grilled Steaks with Ancho Mole Sauce

Ingredients

  1. 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  2. 1 cup Salsa Roja
  3. 1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
  4. 1/3 cup chopped Mexican chocolate (2 ounces); see Note
  5. 2 tablespoons raisins
  6. Pinch of ground cinnamon
  7. Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  8. Salt and freshly ground pepper
  9. Six 10-ounce boneless strip steaks, about 1 inch thick
  10. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  1. In a medium saucepan, toast the sesame seeds over moderate heat until golden. Add the Salsa Roja, stock, chocolate, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted, about 4 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and return to the saucepan.
  2. Brush each steak with 1 tablespoon of the mole sauce and let the steaks stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
  3. Light a grill. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill them over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side for rare to medium-rare meat. Transfer to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, bring the remaining mole sauce to a simmer. Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve the steaks with the mole sauce on the side.
Make Ahead The mole sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat the sauce gently and add the butter just before serving. Notes Mexican chocolate, a sweet chocolate flavored with cinnamon, is sold at Latin markets and specialty-food stores.
food
The Dish Twice weekly chef recipes made easy, weekly meal planners.

wine
The Wine List Weekly pairings, best bottles to buy and the latest news.

daily
F&W Daily One sensational dish served fresh every day.
American Express Publishing ("AEP") may use your email address to send you account updates and offers that may interest you. To learn more about the ways we may use your email address and about your privacy choices, read the AEP Privacy Statement.
How we use your email address

MARKETPLACE

View Website Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement of American Express Publishing Corporation.

Users of this site agree to be bound by the terms of the American Express Publishing
Corporation Website Terms and Conditions.

Copyright © 1997 - 2012 American Express Publishing Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
3.46-ci