This post has been sponsored by Rodelle. All opinions are mine alone.
Delicata Squash Mole Enchiladas is a savory, chocolaty, spicy way to greet the changing seasons. I love this time of year. I can wear sweaters; make soup; and spend guilt free weekends curled up under a blanket with the dog, a cat or two, and a good book. It’s also time for the CSA to start sending us storage veggies, like Delicata squash.
Delicatas are my favorite winter squash. They are small, which makes them easier to use up quickly. You don’t have to peel them, which is a tremendous bonus in my book. And they have a great flavor when they are roasted. This past week’s CSA heralded the start of winter squash season with Delicatas. So, as far as I was concerned, this was perfect timing. The Delicatas coincide with #Choctoberfest, which is a week long celebration of chocolate!
Long story short, I decided I really wanted to make a savory chocolate dish. Last year, when I was still doing all the crazy travel for my job, I ran across a great little place in Redmond, Oregon that served the most amazing mole. I recognize that a traditional mole takes a bit of time and preparation. This is a short-cut mole.
I was also very excited to use Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa in this recipe. Rodelle is one of the many awesome sponsors for #Choctoberfest. Their Gourmet Baking Cocoa is amazing! It’s got a great depth of super chocolaty flavor. And it pairs incredibly well with chilies in Adobo sauce for this mole.
On a total side note, one of my friends from work reminded me that there is a great recipe for mole in the novel Like Water for Chocolate. I’m thinking this is a book on my short list to curl up and read again, preferably with a dog and one or more cats snuggled next to me.
This mole is quick. A few dried spices, chilies in Adobo, a little peanut butter, and Rodelle’s Gourmet Baking Cocoa and that’s about all there is to it. I love the combination of roasted Delicata squash, a bit of smoked cheddar, and mole in my Delicata Squash Mole Enchiladas. These freeze beautifully and I’ll be eating these for lunch this week and next.
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Chipotle peppers in Adobo
- 1/2 teaspoon of adobo sauce from peppers
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon peanut buter
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 3/4 cup Mole Sauce
- 9 corn tortillas
- 2 Delicata squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups smoked cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the delicata squash into 1/4 inch rings. Remove seeds. Lay the squash rings on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes or until squash is soft and slightly caramelized.
- In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the onions and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes or until the onions begin to brown.
- Take the onions off the heat and add the remaining mole ingredients through the water/vegetable broth. Stir and return to the heat. Continue to stir until the sauce begins to thicken (about 20 minutes). Use an immersion blender and blend until the sauce is smooth.
- To make the enchiladas, spoon 1/4 cup of the mole sauce on the bottom of an 8 x 10 inch baking pan. Lay 2 tortillas over the sauce and split another tortilla into four pieces to cover the corners. Spoon a bit more mole over the tortillas and then layer the delicata squash rings on top. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese.
- Lay 2 more tortillas over the squash, cheese, and mole. Use another tortilla, cut into quarters to cover the corners. Spoon more mole over this layer and then sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese.
- Lay 2 tortillas over the top. Use the final tortilla to cover the corners. Spoon the remaining mole over the top of the tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling on top.
- Serves 4. Enjoy! Remaining mole sauce can be frozen for later use.
