“but I am all out of “recardo”.
Make your own!
Called recardo or recado negro in Spanish, chilmole can be viewed as the Adam (or Eve!) of all moles, since its almost primordial formulation is obviously their precursor. Dried chiles are simply charred over a flame or hot coals, then ground with other spices to form a pungent, black paste. The paste is then used as a rub on meats or as a flavoring and thickening ingredient in sauces. The heat of the recado can be controlled by using hotter or milder chiles, to the diner’s taste. The process of burning chiles produces an acrid smoke so fierce that it causes choking, sneezing and watery eyes, such that making recado negro within Mérida city limits has been banned. Like other recados, it is available commercially in brands such as El Yucateco and Marin, both in Mexican groceries and in the ethnic foods sections of many supermarkets. For recipes that call for recado negro, there is unfortunately no substitute.