Mexican food is one of my husband’s favorites. We’ve discussed this before. . but he can down a huge burrito within seconds. Not really something to brag about, but he can do this.
When the good people at Theo Chocolate sent me an assortment of chocolate bars, some included their Chili 70% Dark Chocolate, I knew I wanted to attempt a chocolate mole recipe right away. I make these baked taquitos for my husband all the time, usually with ground beef (because he likes it) and sometimes with rotisserie chicken. . but this time, I wanted to use slow cooked pork and make it just a bit on the sweet side so I could pair it with a spicy chocolate mole.
So, I did some research last weekend and we ate at a local Mexican restaurant. I got their Chicken En Mole. . but it was way too sweet. I didn’t really like it and like this version I created at home much better.
Doesn’t hurt to cook at home for yourself.
But before we get to the recipe, I want to tell you more about Theo Chocolate. If you’re here in Seattle, you know Theo Chocolate. You just know. This was the first chocolate company my friends mentioned to me. “You have to try Theo Chocolate”. . “this is seriously the best chocolate I have ever tasted.” Well, not only did they live up to all the hype, but more importantly, this company stands for something. I absolutely LOVE their Mission, from their website:
“We’re dedicated to making our world a better place. And we’re finding ways to do it through our passion—bringing out the best of the cocoa bean. We are all connected. We touch one another’s lives in incredible ways. And we are responsible to and for one another. From the cacao farmer in the Congo, to the truck driver in Seattle, to the chocolate lover in Philadelphia—there is a thread that runs through us all. Theo believes in celebrating those connections, in strengthening them and in finding inspiration within them—inspiration to change the world. We know that every action has a result. That the choices we make here in Seattle, Washington touch lives across the planet in real and lasting ways. That knowledge, and that responsibility, is what drives us to do things differently, to help make the world a better place. We think about every choice we make, every action we take and how it will impact our interconnected world.”
Theo Chocolate has Partner Bars, where proceeds from the sale of these chocolate bars benefit cocoa farmers, promote conservation in the tropical rainforest and directly contribute to the Jane Goodall Institute’s efforts to save chimpanzees, support PCC Farmland Trust and to preserve one of our most valuable natural resources: farmland, help provide students, health care workers, and entrepreneurs in rural Africa with specially designed, locally assembled World Bicycle Relief (WBR) bicycles. To find out more about World Bicycle Relief, click here . . and much more!
I fell in love with Theo’s Sea Salt Dark chocolate bar. This one is my absolute FAVORITE. Not only is it ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS but like I stated above, proceeds of this chocolate bar help provide students, health care workers, and entrepreneurs in rural Africa with specially designed, locally assembled WBR bicycles.
How awesome is that?
Enter the Giveaway!
(open to residents within the United States only)
I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to host a giveaway with Theo Chocolate. . if you have never tired their chocolate bars, you simply must.
Slow Cooked Pork
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs pork shoulder or butt, cut into chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 28-ounce can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar or molasses
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 5 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 yellow onions sliced lengthwise
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Season your pork with salt and pepper and place into your slow cooker. In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine all of the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour over the pork directly into your slow cooker and mix thoroughly (I wear plastic gloves and mix with my hands). Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook until the pork is tender and beginning to fall apart, on low 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.
- Transfer the pork to a plate. Allow to cool slightly, and shred using 2 forks.
Slow Cooked Pork Taquitos with Chocolate Mole
Ingredients
For the mole:
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1/2 large onion peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1-2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ¼ teaspoon each: cinnamon ground cloves, dried oregano, powdered cumin, ground coriander, Chinese Five Spice
- 2-3 chipotle peppers; remove seeds and stems; chopped use however many you can handle, depending on your "desired heat" level
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1-2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup water or more, as needed
- 2 oz Theo Chili 70% Dark chocolate melted
For the taquitos:
- flour tortillas
- slow cooked pork see recipe above
- shredded Mozzarella cheese
- more vegetable or canola oil; for brushing on the taquitos
- fresh cilantro; for serving
- lime wedges; for serving
Instructions
For the mole:
- Using a non-stick pan over medium heat, sauté the onions in the vegetable oil until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or two. Add the spices and herbs and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds only and remove from the heat. Make sure you do not burn the spices and herbs.
- Add everything into your food processor or blender: the onion + spices/herb mixture, the chipotle peppers, almonds, canned tomatoes, raisins, sesame seeds, water, melted chili dark chocolate and a dash or 2 of the salt and pepper. Puree/pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust/add anything as needed.
- Transfer to a sauce pan and heat on the stove until warmed. Set aside.
For the taquitos:
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Assemble your taquitos: lay down a flour tortilla, spoon in some pork, top with shredded cheese and roll them closed. Brush each taquito with vegetable oil and lay down (tortilla flap side down) on a parchment paper lined or Silpat lined baking sheet. Continue with remaining taquitos.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes; checking on them after 18-20 minutes or so to ensure they do not burn. To plate: serve a few pork taquitos, top with HEATED chocolate mole, garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Adapted from David Lebovitz’s recipe.
Disclosure: I was provided an assortment of Theo Chocolate bars for recipe development. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions stated here are 100% my own. Giveaway sponsored by the good folks at Theo Chocolate.
