Preparation time
15 minutes
Cooking time
60 minutes
Serves
4
To pair with Lyndey Milan's Pork loin with smoky peanut mole, choose a vibrant, juicy and fruit-forward red with the pork like a Pinot Noir.
Ingredients
4 medium (30g) dried chipotle chillies
2/3 cup (100 g) sesame seeds
6 black peppercorns
10 coriander seeds
4 cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon fennel or aniseed seeds
400g tin diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons (40 ml) extra virgin olive oil + extra to rub pork
1 medium brown onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup (140g) dry roasted peanuts, 1/3 cup extra, chopped for garnish
2/3 cup (100 g) raisins
3½–4 cups (875 ml–1 litre) chicken stock, approx
Salt to taste
1/8 tsp (dash) smoked Tabasco (optional)
750g pork fillets
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup coriander leaves
Corn or flour tortillas, warmed, to serve
2 avocadoes, halved and sliced
2 limes, cut into 4 cheeks
Recipe by Lyndey Milan
Photography by John Paul Urizar
Styling by Michaela Le Compte
Food Prep by Wendy Taplin
Method
1. Toast chillies over medium heat in a medium frying pan. Press down with a spatula to colour but do allow to smoke. Place in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 30 minutes. Drain, discard stem and seeds and rip into small pieces.
2. Wipe out the frying pan, then toast the sesame seeds and place in a blender.
3. Toast the spices in the same frying pan for a couple of minutes and grind in a mortar and pestle. Add to the blender.
4. Add tomatoes to same frying pan, bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and reduce until liquid has evaporated. Add to the blender.
5. Heat half the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until brown, approx. 10 minutes. Add to the blender with the peanuts, drained chillies and raisins. Add 1½ cup chicken stock and blend until the mixture is smooth. Add some more chicken stock if not smooth enough. Strain through medium strainer into a bowl.
6. In the same large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the peanut puree. Stir continuously for about 5 minutes as the mixture thickens and darkens. Stir in 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste the mole and season to taste with salt (1/4-½ teaspoon) and add a dash of tabasco if desired. Keep warm.
7. Preheat the grill to high heat. Rub pork with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook on chargrill pan or BBQ and sear for 2 minutes each side. Reduce heat to medium and cook for an additional 7-12 minutes, or until just cooked. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
8. Serve several pieces of the pork on a bed of the mole sauce on tortillas and garnish with chopped peanuts and coriander. Serve with sliced avocado and lime.
Lyndey’s note: You could use 2 dried ancho chillies instead of chipotle, if desired. Tear them up before toasting them. Mole makes 2 cups sauce.
Wine Match
Pinot Noir