Skirt Steak with Mole and Cilantro

Over the weekend I posted a sneak peak to the coming week and several of you predicted that I was making fajitas.  You were close but not quite on point.  Earlier in the week I got my new issue of Bon Appetit in the mail and this recipe caught Obed’s attention.  I think it was the steak part, he is all about beef.   I was a little more intrigued by the mole.  I have never had mole and thought to myself this was a good time to give it a try.

There are endless different types of mole.  Mole basically means sauce or concoction.  It can be made of a combination of countless ingredients like peppers, tomatillos, tomatoes, nuts, fruits, onions, garlic, herbs, spices and even chocolate.  This mole has aromatics like red onion, some heat from the chipotle pepper and a ting of sweetness from the chocolate.   I am now a fan of mole!  Ole!  (Too much?)

Rub 3/4 teaspoon cumin on each side of steak. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear steaks on each side for 2 – 3 minutes, depending on thickness and desired doneness of your steak. Transfer steak to plate and tent with aluminum foil.

One thing that I recently learned is that it is best to turn the steak over from one side of the pan to the other, where it is hotter, instead of flipping it in the same spot.  It’s so simple it should be common sense.

Add chopped onions to pan and about 2 Tbs of steak juices, scrape up brown bits in pan, cook onions until tender and brown.

Add tomatoes, broth, chocolate, chipotles, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin to skillet.

Stir 2 minutes until chocolate is melted and all the ingredients are incorporated.

Add orange peel; season with salt to taste.  The key to good cooking is tasting as you go!

Puree in blender.  Make sure you put that lid on or your going to have mole in more places then your steak.

Top tortillas with slice steak. Drizzle with sauce; top with cilantro leaves.

I used one whole minced chipotle pepper and it was more than enough heat.  In fact I was sweating a bit by the time we were done with dinner, but I am a little bit of a pansy.  I recommend serving this on tortillas to cut into the heat a bit.  I also served it with my Mexican rice just to have a few more carbs with my beef. 😀

This dish is really simple to pull together on a weeknight.  It will easily make it from stovetop to plate in 30 minutes or less.

Print Recipe

Skirt Steak Mole with Cilantro (adapted from Bon Appetit)

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs skirt steaks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup coarsely chopped red onion
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo or chipotle hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• tortillas

Rub 3/4 teaspoon cumin on each side of steak. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear steaks on each side for 2 – 3 minutes, depending on thickness and desired doneness of your steak. Transfer steak to plate and tent with aluminum foil.   Add chopped onions to pan and about 2 Tbs of steak juices, scrape up brown bits in pan, cook onions until tender and brown.  Add tomatoes, broth, chocolate, chipotles, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin to skillet. Stir 2 minutes. Add orange peel; season with salt. Puree in blender.

Top tortillas with slice steak. Drizzle with sauce; top with cilantro leaves.