A Maritime Spin on Mole
El Naranjo | Austin, Texas
A Maritime Spin on Mole
El Naranjo | Austin, Texas
By Mike Kostyo
July 17, 2024
By Mike Kostyo
July 17, 2024
Iliana de la Vega
Are white mole-seafood dishes having a moment? They are at El Naranjo, a refined Mexican restaurant helmed by James Beard Award winner Iliana de la Vega, executive chef. Moles are a staple on her menu, but the white mole was an unexpected hit, she says.
For this iteration, de la Vega creates a white mole with toasted cashews, sesame seeds, almonds and Serrano chile for heat. The resulting creamy, complex sauce serves as an ideal complement to the delicate halibut. For a sweet contrast, a pineapple-sweet potato-apple purée is laced with Mexican canela (cinnamon) and piloncillo, the unrefined cane sugar, lending a candied quality. “There are many layers of flavor in this dish,” she says. “There is a slight kick from the habanero and green onion oils, which makes it an incredibly complex dish. We originally had it on our menu as our mole of the month, but our guests enjoyed it so much that we put it on the menu permanently.”
About the Author
Mike Kostyo is the VP of Menu Matters. Mike has been a recurring guest on Fusion TV’s “The A.V. Club” show; has been featured on NBC News, CBS Radio and Gimlet Media’s “Why We Eat What We Eat” podcast; is regularly featured in newspapers and magazines; speaks at numerous conferences across the country; and was a judge on Food Network’s “Eating America.” For nearly 11 years, Mike was an associate director and trends expert at one of the industry's largest research firms. He has a master's in Gastronomy from Boston University, plus certificates in the culinary arts, baking arts, wine and artisan cheese production. [email protected]
