Mushroom and Green Garlic Mole

Doesn’t it look gloriously green? We should rename this blog ‘British ingredients, all things green!’ There isn’t a single ingredient on this plate that doesn’t come from Britain (specifically Wales in this instance) and isn’t in season right now. From the deliciously moreish mushrooms to the broad beans that are fit to pop with fresh, seasonal sweetness, to the fiery green garlic mole, fragranced with sage from the garden. I couldn’t be happier with how simple and tasty this recipe turned out! And all you need to make it is two pans, a sieve and a blender. No knife or chopping board required.

For those who are unfamiliar with mole (pronounced ‘mo-le’), it is a word from Mexican cuisine that broadly means sauce and marinade. There are traditional and contemporary versions of mole, as is common for any traditional member of a vibrant, ever changing and evolving food culture such as Mexican. Whilst the range is vast, some of my favourites include mole colorado (red sauce), mole negro (black sauce), mole poblano, mole verde (green sauce, featured in this recipe), and the aptly named mole manchamantel (the tablecloth stainer). Technically this entire recipe should just be called a mole, as it is very non-Mexican to call a mole dish ‘mushroom mole’ or ‘chicken mole’. Anything that includes a mole (sauce) becomes a mole (dish).

Mole are usually made from a combination of fruit, nuts, chili and spices such as black pepper, cumin and cinnamon. For this recipe, our heat comes from the raw green garlic, but if you fancy making a tame version then you can reduce the amount used or opt for a fermented garlic, which tend to have a milder, sweeter flavour. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll want a chunk of bread to hand to mop up any extra mole once you’re done eating.

Mushroom and Mole Verde Recipe
Serves 2

• 160g Mushrooms, (shiitake, oyster, lion’s mane or morel)

• 200ml Cold pressed rapeseed oil

• 75g Green garlic (or 2 cloves of mature garlic)

• 10-12 Fresh sage leaves

• 2g Salt

• 20ml Unpasteurized cider vinegar

• 20 Freshly podded broad beans

• 8 Large kale leaves, ripped from the stalk

• Microgreens to decorate

• A pinch of nigella seeds

Step 1.

Measure out the rapeseed oil, salt and cider vinegar in a measuring jug, then add it to a blender with the garlic and sage. Blend until most of the garlic fiber has been broken up, then set aside for later.

Step 2.

Boil 200ml of salted water whilst you place your mushrooms in a hot frying pan with a tablespoon of the garlic oil blend we just made. Add a drizzle more oil to loosen up the mixture and fry for a couple of minutes whilst the water comes to the boil (take care not to let the garlic burn).

When the water is boiling, add the broad beans and place a sieve over the top. Pack the kale into the sieve and cover with a pan lid. Cook like this for 2 minutes, then drain the whole lot.

Step 3.

Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce to the mushrooms and let it reduce until it forms a sticky layer on the mushrooms.

Step 4.

Add two cooked kale leaves (the greener the better) to the mole sauce and blend for 2 minutes until the whole sauce turns bright green. Chuck the rest of the beans and kale into the pan with the mushrooms and toss it around. Give it 30 seconds on a high temperature before plating up.

To plate this dish, add two big spoonfulls of mole on each plate and sprinkle with nigella (black onion seeds). Then divide the mushroom mix into two and pile it onto the plates. Dress with a little more mole and finish with microgreens.