Rich Mole Sauce Recipes

RICH MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 9-inch seasoned cast-iron skillet, toast bread over medium-high heat, turning once, until golden. Tear bread into large pieces; pulse in a blender until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a large bowl.
• In skillet, cook garlic over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until soft and charred, about 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, squeeze clove from skin; add to bowl with breadcrumbs.
• Toast almonds in skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
• Wipe chile with a damp paper towel. Slit chile lengthwise; remove stem, ribs, and seeds, reserving seeds. Cook chile in skillet over medium heat, turning once, until it just begins to blister (do not burn it ), 10 to 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl.
• Pour oil into skillet; add onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Add tomatoes to skillet; cook, tossing, until slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
• Add chipotle, adobo sauce, reserved chile seeds, banana, cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, oregano, and cloves to bowl, and stir well. Working in batches, puree mixture in a blender until smooth, adding the stock a little at a time.
• Transfer puree to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Pass mole through a sieve into a serving bowl; discard solids. Season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.

AUTHENTIC MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Toast guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, and chipotle chiles in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until warm and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the blender with chicken broth.
• Heat 2 cups chicken broth in a saucepan until it begins to simmer, about 5 minutes. Pour broth into a blender.
• Toast dinner roll pieces and tortilla strips in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the blender with chicken broth and chiles
• Allow the chiles and toasted bread and tortillas to soak, fully submerged, in the chicken broth until softened, about 10 minutes. Blend the mixture until smooth.
• Cook tomatoes and tomatillos in a dry skillet on medium-high heat until soft and blackened, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place tomatoes in the blender with the chile puree.
• Melt lard in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, peanuts, raisins, cumin seeds, thyme, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice berries; cook and stir until onions are soft and golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and other whole spices; add onion mixture to the blender with the chile-tomato mixture and blend until smooth.
• Pour chile puree into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in chocolate chicken broth, sugar, and salt. Bring mixture to a simmer; stir until chocolate is melted and sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, 10 to 15 minutes.

30-MINUTE MOLE

Steps:

• Heat broth in a small saucepan over medium-high until steaming; remove from heat. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pot over medium. Add all the dried chiles and sear until darkened, turning constantly so they don't burn and become bitter, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer chiles to the hot broth to rehydrate for 10 minutes. Set a bowl over the chiles to keep them submerged.
• Add the remaining tablespoon oil and the onion to the same medium pot (no need to wash). Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Transfer to a blender, along with the chiles and their soaking liquid, the peanut butter, tahini, sugar, cacao, chocolate, oregano, cumin, cinnamon and toasted tortilla. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pour the mole back into the same medium pot and set over high heat. Once the mole starts to bubble, lower heat to medium and simmer, stirring every couple of minutes to make sure the mole isn't burning or sticking to the pot, until the flavors marry, at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Serve with cauliflower or vegetable or protein of your choice.