Chocolate at Christmas is a festive favourite, but this year it’s time to tart up the turkey and spice up the leftovers as a spicy Mexican chocolate-chilli sauce arrives in the UK.

For centuries, Mexican families have enjoyed Mole (pronounced moleh), a luxurious, savoury cooking sauce.  Now, thanks to Rico Mexican Kitchen, an authentic, fresh Mole Cooking Sauce is available at specialist food retailers including Harrods, Selfridges and Whole Foods Market in London.

Derbyshire based Marcela Flores Newburn is originally from Monterrey in Mexico and created the Mole as part of her new range of ready to use, homemade salsas and sauces.

Mole, which in the language of the ancient Aztecs, means ‘sauce’, is regarded as the Mexican National dish, lovingly prepared and traditionally served on special occasions.

Made from a base of three types of chilli, Rico’s Mole Cooking Sauce contains more than 25 ingredients including almonds, sesame and sunflower seeds, peanuts, cinnamon, coriander seeds and Mexican chocolate which are carefully blended for many hours.

“I’ve taken the hard work out of making a traditional ‘Mole Poblano’ so that people can buy it to use quickly and simply at home,” Marcela explained.  “I use a rich, fragrant combination of nuts and spices, a hint of chilli and just a touch of cacao for a luxurious winter warmer which is great with cooked meat or tofu.  The Mole’s texture and mellow level of heat is also popular as a warm dipping sauce for party food or tortillas.”

Former teacher and mother-of-two Marcela set up Rico Mexican Kitchen in 2008 after finding it difficult to source fresh and healthy Mexican products in the UK.  She took her creations to independent stores and food festivals across the East Midlands and they proved to be a hit.

Still juggling her time between the kitchen and teaching Spanish classes, Marcela has won two regional Food and Drink Awards and is making plans to expand her range to include Mexican hot chocolate and ready meals.

Rico Mexican Kitchen’s range of salsas and sauces includes Salsa Verde, Spicy Beans, Mild & Tasty Salsa and Chipotle  Xtra Hot Salsa.  All products contain 100% natural ingredients and retail between £1.75 and £3.49.

Rico’s products are available online at www.ricomexicankitchen.co.uk

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Rico Mexican Kitchen by Lava. For further information contact Louise or Stuart at Lava on 01522 842 800 / louise@lavapr.co.uk or stuart@lavapr.co.uk

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Notes for Editors:

Some Facts About Mexican Mole and How to Use It

• The name ‘mole’ derives from the language of the ancient Aztecs and simply means ’concoction’ or ‘sauce’.
• There are many types of mole in Mexico.  The most popular type is from the region of Puebla, known as ‘Mole Poblano’.
• Traditionally, mole is made from a base of three types of chilli, Ancho, Pasilla and Mulato, which combine to give a wonderful, smoky, earthy flavour. These are mixed with almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and even chilli seeds. Spices of aniseed, ground coriander seeds, allspice and cinnamon are added, as well as the all-important Mexican chocolate.
• It’s ready to use – but you can add your own extra ingredients to make your own: try a small amount of cocoa, some finely chopped onion or peppers, sesame oil etc.
• Many Mexican women have their own mole recipe – usually passed down from her mother.
• Mole is very time consuming, labour intensive and requires many ingredients so is often made in large batches for fiestas.

Chicken in Mole sauce
For an authentic chicken meal, boil the chicken (you can fry or roast if you prefer) and then leave it in a saucepan with Rico’s Mole Cooking Sauce (100g of Mole for 100g chicken) and 2 tbs of chicken stock to simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with rice, Rico Spicy Beans and warm tortillas.

Other Mole recipe ideas
Mole cooking sauce is delicious with grilled pork, duck breast or grilled fish. Spoon a large amount of heated Mole sauce onto a plate, then cover with generous amounts of white rice, place your meat of choice on top, followed by another helping of Rico’s Mole Cooking Sauce and a few grilled mushrooms. Serve with mashed spicy beans and warm tortillas.

For more recipe ideas visit www.ricomexicankitchen.co.uk

Rico Mexican Kitchen Tasting Events

- 12th Nov- tasting at Bluebells Dairy Farm (one of our stockists in Spondon, Derby, now one of the 3 finalists for Radio 4 Farmer of the Year)
- 23rd Nov- launch of new packaging at Harrods
- 28th -29th Nov- tasting at Unicorn Groceries (a vegan and entirely sugar-free retailer, our second ever stockist in Chorlton, Manchester – voted the Guardian Independent Shop of the Year 2008)
- 12th Dec- Spicy Christmas at Selfridges with Mariachi music and walking cacti.