Week 2 Grocery List — Sunday Forward

Produce

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Limes10–12

Citrus pork and carnitas braise, guacamole (2 tbsp juice), pickled red onion brine, fajita marinade

CarnitasCitrus PorkGuacamolePickled OnionsFajitas

Oranges4

Orange-lime citrus braise for the carnitas and the citrus roasted pork — navel or Valencia

Citrus PorkCarnitas

Avocados6 large

Buy firm and ripen on the counter. Hass preferred. 3 are for the black bean & sweet potato tacos (must-have) — the other 3 are for guacamole (optional)

Black Bean TacosGuacamole

Tomatillos5

Husked and halved, cut-side down on the sheet pan for the mole negro broil

Mole Negro

Plum Tomatoes5

3 for the mole negro broil; 2 for the roasted chile salsa

Mole NegroChile Salsa

White Onion3 medium

1 for the mole negro broil; ¼ cup finely diced for guacamole; remainder for carnitas and fajitas

Mole NegroGuacamoleCarnitasFajitas

Red Onion2 large

Main ingredient for the pickled red onions; also sliced for fajitas

Pickled OnionsFajitas

Sweet Potatoes8 medium

4 cubed for the black bean taco filling — 4 whole for citrus pork night, one per person (baked separately with bacon grease)

TacosCitrus Pork

Bell Peppers3 large

Sliced for shrimp fajitas — mixed colors preferred

Fajitas

Jalapeños4

1 for guacamole (seeds out = mild); 2 for the roasted chile salsa; 1 for fajita marinade

GuacamoleChile SalsaFajitas

Ripe Plantain1

Should be mostly black — broiled cut-side down with the mole negro aromatics; adds body and natural sweetness

Mole Negro

Garlic3 heads

5–7 cloves for the mole negro broil; remainder for carnitas, citrus pork, and chile salsa

Mole NegroCarnitasCitrus PorkChile Salsa

Fresh Herbs

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Cilantro4 bunches

¼ cup for guacamole; plus carnitas garnish, black bean tacos, and roasted chile salsa

GuacamoleCarnitasTacosChile Salsa

Fresh Thyme1 bunch

1 tbsp leaves for the mole negro spice bloom; a few sprigs for the pickled onion brine

Mole NegroPickled Onions

Meat & Seafood

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Bone-in Pork Shoulder6–8 lb

Covers both pulled pork carnitas and the citrus roasted pork — buy one piece or ask the butcher to split it

CarnitasCitrus Pork

Rotisserie Chicken1

The storebought rotisserie chicken of your choice — just shred it before filling the enchiladas

Enchiladas

Large Shrimp, peeled & deveined1 lb

16/20 count works well; fresh or thawed frozen — pat dry before seasoning

Fajitas

Dried Chiles

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Pasilla Negro Chiles6

The dominant chile — deep, earthy, chocolatey. Stems and seeds removed before broiling. Latin market or online

Mole Negro

Ancho Chiles4

Dried poblano; sweet, mild, adds body to the mole — often the easiest of the five to find

Mole Negro

Mulato Chiles3

Smoky, slightly sweet — a darker cousin of the ancho. Latin market is most reliable

Mole Negro

Guajillo Chiles3

Bright red, tangy, moderate heat — usually stocked at any well-supplied grocery

Mole Negro

Morita Chiles2

Smoked and fruity — adds heat and smokiness. Smaller than chipotles, similar flavor

Mole Negro

Pasilla Chiles3–4

For the roasted chile salsa — separate from the pasilla negros above

Chile Salsa

Chiles de Árbolsmall bag

Thin, hot, and bright — the heat element in the roasted chile salsa alongside the pasillas

Chile Salsa

Dairy & Eggs

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Eggs2 dozen

Tres leches uses 3 whole + 5 yolks; flan uses 5 whole; churros dough needs eggs too

Tres LechesFlanChurros

Heavy Cream1 quart

Tres leches custard base; whipped cream to serve on top

Tres Leches

Whole Milk1 cup needed

Tres leches custard — check if you already have it

Tres Leches

Sweetened Condensed Milk2 cans (14 oz)

1 cup for tres leches custard; 1 full can for flan — not the same as evaporated

Tres LechesFlan

Evaporated Milk2 cans (12 oz)

1 can each for tres leches and flan — check the label; not the same as condensed

Tres LechesFlan

Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend2–3 cups

For the mole enchiladas — or shred your own Oaxacan or Monterey Jack

Enchiladas

Unsalted Butter1 stick

Churros choux dough — ½ cup (1 stick)

Churros

Pantry

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Chicken Broth2 × 32 oz cartons

Mole negro takes 8 cups total — 1 cup into the Step 1 blender, the rest simmers in the sauce

Mole Negro

Brioche12 oz

Loaf or rolls for the tres leches bread pudding — day-old is ideal

Tres Leches

White Sandwich Bread3 slices

Fried in oil until golden for the mole negro — only 3 slices needed

Mole Negro

Black Beans, canned2 cans (15 oz)

Drained and rinsed for the black bean sweet potato taco filling

Tacos

Vegetable Oilfull bottle

Mole negro uses 1 full cup across its frying steps — make sure the bottle is full

Mole Negro

Peanut Oil1 qt

For deep-frying the churros — high smoke point, clean flavor at high heat

Churros

Dark Chocolate6–8 oz total

3 oz to finish the mole negro; 3+ oz for the churros dipping sauce — 70% or higher, a bar not chips

Mole NegroChurros

Prunes8

Fried with the bread and cinnamon stick in mole negro Step 4 — adds dark, jammy sweetness

Mole Negro

Roasted Almonds, Peanuts & Pepitas¼ cup each

All three fried in oil for the mole negro nut base — buy pre-roasted; salted peanuts are fine

Mole Negro

Tortilla Chips1 bag

For serving with the guacamole

Guacamole

Specialty Spices

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Cream of Tartarsmall jar

¼ heaping tsp for the flan caramel — prevents crystallization, keeps it smooth. Baking aisle

Flan

Apple Cider Vinegar1 bottle

Base for the pickled red onion brine — about ½–¾ cup needed

Pickled Onions

Mexican Oreganosmall jar

Not the same as Italian oregano — more citrusy, floral. 1 tbsp for the mole negro spice bloom. Usually in the Latin spice aisle

Mole Negro

Whole Cloves3

Fried briefly in oil for the mole negro spice bloom — intensely aromatic; a little goes a long way

Mole Negro

Cinnamon Sticks2

1 fried with the bread and prunes in mole negro Step 4; 1 for the churros chocolate sauce

Mole NegroChurros

Ground Allspice1 tsp needed

Mole negro spice bloom — check the cabinet first

Mole Negro

Anise Seeds1 tsp needed

1 tsp fried with the mole negro spice blend — a subtle licorice note that rounds the sauce

Mole Negro

Breads & Tortillas

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Corn Tortillas2 packs

2 fried in oil for the mole negro; 8–10 dipped in mole and filled for enchiladas; the rest for tacos and carnitas

Mole NegroEnchiladasTacosCarnitas

Flour Tortillas, burrito-size1 pack

Large ones for the shrimp fajitas — hold the peppers and shrimp without tearing

Fajitas