Beef and Veggie Mole Stew

Method10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel the broth onion half and the garlic cloves (3). Wash the mint (1 large), tomatoes and tomatillos (¼ lb), removing the tomatillo husks. Wash, peel and cube both chayotes; wash and cube the zucchini (1). Wash and trim the green beans (¾ lb), cutting them into 1-inch pieces. Husk the three corn ears and cut each into thirds. Prepare the separate ¾ cup finely chopped garnish onion and ¾ cup washed, chopped cilantro (¾ cup), and wash and quarter the 3–4 limes. Hold these prepared ingredients separately for their cooking and serving stages.

   Uses ½ white onion for the broth · 3 garlic cloves, peeled · 1 large fresh mint sprig, or 10–12 leaves · 1 lb ripe tomatoes, preferably Roma, about 4 · ¼ lb tomatillos, about 1–2 depending on size · 2 chayote squashes, peeled and cubed, about 3 cups · 1 large zucchini, cubed, about 3 cups · ¾ lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, about 2 cups

2. 2

   Step 2: Put all the raw beef chunks and their bones in a large heavy-bottomed pot with the prepared onion half, garlic and mint, all three bay leaves and the tablespoon of salt. Add all 10 cups of broth water and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Skim off the foam, then reduce to low or medium-low, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Make the chile sauce during this simmer.

   Simmer the beef broth · 60 minUses 3 lb raw beef stew or shank meat, cut into 1½–2-inch chunks, with its bones added to the pot · 3 bay leaves · 1 tbsp kosher or coarse sea salt for the broth · 10 cups water for the beef broth · The prepared ½ onion · All 3 peeled garlic cloves · The washed large mint sprig or 10–12 leaves

3. 3

   Step 3: Remove the stems and seeds from the ancho and pasilla chiles. Put all six chiles in a heatproof bowl and add enough boiling water to cover them. Soak for 10–15 minutes, checking from 10 minutes, until rehydrated. Keep both the chiles and their soaking liquid for blending.

   Check the rehydrated chiles · 10 minUses 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded · 3 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded · Boiling water to cover the ancho and pasilla chiles, as needed

4. 4

   Step 4: Put the prepared tomatoes and tomatillos in a broiler-safe baking dish and place under the broiler. Watch closely and broil for about 10 minutes, until completely charred and soft; turn as needed for even charring.

   Uses All prepared 1 lb tomatoes · All prepared ¼ lb tomatillos

5. 5

   Step 5: Put the sesame seeds (2 tbsp) in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes, until they begin to turn golden brown, avoiding dark brown or burnt seeds. Remove the skillet from the heat.

   Uses 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted in the method

6. 6

   Step 6: Blend all the rehydrated chiles with exactly ¼ cup of their soaking liquid, all the charred tomatoes and tomatillos and all the toasted sesame seeds until completely smooth, following the blender’s hot-liquid directions. Discard the unused soaking liquid.

   Uses All six rehydrated chiles lifted from their soaking liquid · ¼ cup of the actual soaking liquid · All broiled tomatoes and tomatillos · All 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

7. 7

   Step 7: After the initial beef simmer, lift out and discard the cooked onion, mint and garlic; a little left in the broth is fine. Stir all the chile sauce into the retained beef and broth. Cover again and simmer for another 30 minutes, until the meat is very tender, continuing if needed.

   Simmer the beef with chile sauce · 30 minUses All beef, bones and broth retained in the pot after removing the onion, mint and garlic · All the prepared chile sauce

8. 8

   Step 8: Raise the heat to medium and add all the prepared chayote cubes and corn segments to the beef stew. Return to a simmer and cook partially covered for 15 minutes.

   Cook the chayote and corn · 15 minUses All the simmered beef and broth · All cubes from the 2 chayotes · All segments from the 3 ears of corn

9. 9

   Step 9: Add all the prepared green beans and zucchini. Return to a simmer and cook partially covered for another 10 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender and the beef is very tender. Continue as needed to reach those endpoints. Taste and use the separate finishing salt only if needed.

   Check the green beans and zucchini · 10 minUses All stew after the chayote and corn phase · All prepared ¾ lb green beans · All cubes from the large zucchini · Additional kosher or coarse sea salt, only if needed after tasting

10. 10

    Step 10: Remove the bay leaves and any loose bones before serving. Divide the hot stew into 6–8 bowls, giving each some meat, broth, corn, chayote, green beans and zucchini. Pass the separate chopped onion, cilantro and lime quarters for people to add to taste.

    Uses Hot cooked stew after removing bay leaves and loose bones · The prepared ¾ cup chopped garnish onion, passed as desired · The prepared ¾ cup cilantro, passed as desired · The wedges from the 3–4 prepared limes, passed as desired