Mole Jalisiense
"Jalisciense Mole"
From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2
Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Mole Jalisiense
"Tostados, molidos y fritos en iguales partes los chiles ancho y pasilla, se tuestan las pepitas de los mismos y se muelen con cacahuates clavo y canela; puesto esto á freir se deshace el chile echándole agua caliente y la sal necesaria, se le agrega la carne y se deja hevir de manera que no quede aguado."
English Translation
"Ancho and pasilla chiles are toasted, ground, and fried in equal parts; the seeds from the chiles are also toasted and ground with peanuts, cloves, and cinnamon. Once this mixture is frying, dissolve the chile in it by adding hot water and the necessary amount of salt, add the meat, and let it cook so that it does not turn out watery."
Note on the Original Text
As was typical in late 19th-century Mexican recipes, instructions are brief and assume the reader possesses a baseline culinary knowledge. Ingredients are described in relational terms (like 'iguales partes' or 'equal parts'), and specific measurements are rare – precise timing and quantities were less important than technique and observation. The original Spanish orthography includes period-correct spellings and touches of regional vocabulary. For instance, 'molidos' (ground) references manual grinding, and 'hevir' is an archaic or possibly erroneous form of 'hervir' (to boil). Directions blend process verbs with ingredient descriptors in a single flow, typical of historic recipe style.
Title
La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2 (1890)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Era
1890
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A charming pocket-sized volume from the 'Cocina en el Bolsillo' series, brimming with delightful recipes for a variety of foods and offering a flavorful glimpse into historical culinary traditions.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe hails from 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2' published in 1890 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, a well-known Mexican printer famous for making literature and practical information accessible to ordinary citizens with pocket-sized publications. Mole Jalisciense captures the rich culinary traditions of Jalisco, blending indigenous ingredients like chiles with Old World spices, exemplifying the fusion of Mexican cuisine at the turn of the 20th century. Recipes like this were meant to be practical and concise, catering to home cooks navigating limited ingredient lists, yet desiring bold, comforting flavors.
In 1890, cooks would have used clay or cast-iron comals for toasting chiles and seeds, and a traditional stone metate or a heavy mortar and pestle (molcajete) for grinding spices and nuts. Cooking would be done over wood or charcoal fires, using cast-iron pans or clay cazuelas for frying and simmering the sauce. Serving and final simmering would likely occur in a deep, glazed earthenware pot, imparting a characteristic earthiness and gentle, retained heat to the dish.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Servings
4
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 oz dried ancho chiles (about 2 large chiles)
- 1 oz dried pasilla chiles (about 2 large chiles)
- 1 oz chile seeds (from the toasted chiles or use pumpkin seeds/pepitas as substitute)
- 1 oz unsalted peanuts
- 2-3 whole cloves
- 1 small stick of cinnamon (about 2 inches)
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1 2/3 cups hot water
- 1-2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
- 1 lb cooked beef or chicken (traditionally beef such as brisket, but chicken is a common substitute)
Instructions
- To prepare Mole Jalisciense using modern ingredients and imperial measurements, start by using equal amounts (about 1 ounce each) of dried ancho and pasilla chiles.
- Toast the chiles briefly on a dry skillet until fragrant, then remove stems and seeds.
- Next, toast the chile seeds (pepitas) and approximately 1 ounce of unsalted peanuts on the same skillet until golden.
- In a mortar or food processor, grind the seeds and peanuts together with 2-3 cloves and 1 small stick of cinnamon.
- Fry this ground mixture in about 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat until aromatic.
- Add the prepared, toasted chiles to the pan, then gradually pour in about 1 2/3 cups of hot water, stirring to dissolve the chile paste.
- Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt to taste.
- Now, introduce about 1 pound of pre-cooked beef or chicken into the sauce.
- Simmer until the mixture thickens to a rich, not watery consistency.
- Serve hot with steamed rice or warm tortillas.
Estimated Calories
350 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You will need about 20 minutes to get your ingredients ready, like toasting and grinding. Cooking, including simmering the sauce with the meat, takes about 30 minutes. Each serving has around 350 calories, and this recipe makes 4 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
Join the Discussion
Rate This Recipe
Dietary Preference
Occasions
Den Bockfisch In Einer Fleisch Suppen Zu Kochen
This recipe hails from a German manuscript cookbook compiled in 1696, a time whe...
Ein Recht Guts Latwerg
This recipe hails from a late 17th-century German manuscript, a comprehensive co...
Einen Schweinß Kopf Zu Kochen
This recipe hails from the 'Koch Puech', a lavish and encyclopedic German cookbo...
Krebse Zu Kochen
This recipe hails from a 1696 anonymous German manuscript, ‘Koch Puech,’ a time ...
Browse our complete collection of time-honored recipes