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Oaxaca with Sergio Remolina
By Jeff Becker Photography by Joseph Burgess
 Famous for its molé, the markets and street sides in this southern Mexico state are filled with foodstuff. With over seven different kinds of molé coming from Oaxaca, the exotic sauce is a source of pride to the people of that region, a destination for people from elsewhere. Merging old world and new world ingredients as is often seen in the food of Mexico, the steaming and bubbling molé pots found on the street sides and in the markets have a mystical presence in the town, aided by the tales of the curative powers of this dish. I once heard a story of a man who went to Oaxaca with a friend. They ate the molé from a woman on the street, and it was delicious. So good, in fact, that after they got sick that night, they returned the next day to eat it again, caution thrown to the wind.
Chef Sergio Remolina at Misíon Guadalupe in Juarez, Mexico offers this fine example of traditional food from the Oaxaca region. Oaxacan food is typically labor intensive. Molés and tamales, as you will see, may require a little dedication, but the results are worth it. These are authentic dishes. They are not found on many menus, here or in Mexico, but they represent the food of the people. The molé, the Sola de Vega cake and the biscocho borracho are homemade favorites rooted in the traditions of
Oaxaca (recipes for the latter two can be found here. It should be noted that these recipes include items that are hard to find this side of the border. In each recipe I have included substitutions for each elusive ingredient, but many may be worth the research required to locate them. To find dried hoja santa (heirba santa), epazote, and other hard-to-come-by ingredients, try Melissa’s World Variety Produce (www.melissas.com).
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Put the chicken in a pot with the garlic and onion and cover with water. Add salt. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until the meat is tender. Set the chicken aside and continue to simmer the broth until it is reduced to about 4 cups.