Heat a large pan to medium heat and dry toast the chili pepper pieces for 1-2 minutes per side, until they darken and release some of their oils. They might puff up a bit. Mole sauce is a staple of Mexican cooking, referring to a number of different sauces that are actually quite different from each other. When most people think of “mole”, however, they usually think of mole poblano, which is a rich, dark, chocolatey sauce made with upwards of 25 ingredients or more. It’s a fairly time-consuming sauce to make, with a number of steps and ingredients, and there are as many variations as there are cooks. It’s most definitely worth the effort, however, considering the end flavor. It is often served with turkey or chicken, though you can enjoy it in any number of Mexican recipes. Let’s talk about how we make mole poblano, shall we?
Mole Poblano Ingredients
For the Chili Puree
Guajillo Peppers. Pasilla Peppers. Ancho Peppers. Mulato Peppers.
Chili Puree Toast and Grind Seasonings Final Puree Fried Elements Pan Elements The Simmer Reduce the Chili Puree Final Puree + Chocolate + Chicken Stock
Strain the pepper puree into another bowl and set aside. Discard the solids and any additional soaking liquid. Set the chili puree aside for now. Strain the softened peppers and reserve the soaking liquid. Transfer the peppers to a food processor with 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid and puree until very smooth. Add more soaking liquid if needed. Transfer to a spice grinder or food processor along with the dried thyme, cinnamon and bay leaves. Process until you have a uniform seeds and spices mix. Set aside. Strain this mole flavoring mixture into a second bowl and set aside for now. Discard any solids. NOTE: You may want to do multiple rounds of straining, then reprocess the solids with a bit more chicken stock to get the most out of the solids. Add the raisins and cook another minute, until they start to soften. Then, add the almonds, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds. Stir and cook another 1-2 minutes, stirring. Transfer mixture onto paper towels to drain. Reserve the oil and set the pan back onto the heat. Tear the bread and tortillas into pieces and fry them until they become crispy and brown, turning here and there, about 2 minutes.
Pan Elements
Heat the same pan back to medium heat. Add more lard or oil if needed. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until it softens up. Also, add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. To the food processor, add the roasted tomatoes and reserved spice mix. Add 2 cups chicken stock and puree until nice and smooth. If needed, add a bit more chicken stock to ensure a very smooth mixture. Stir until the chocolate is melted through, then simmer for at least 30 minutes, though 1 hour is better, stirring constantly, to let the flavors develop. Add more chicken stock if you’d like a thinner mole. Add the contents of the second bowl (the pureed and strained mole flavoring mixture), along with the chocolate, remaining 4 cups chicken stock and salt to taste. That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this hugely flavorful mole poblano recipe. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. And how you served it! Boom! Done! It looks and smells delicious, doesn’t it? Very much like you might find in your favorite Mexican restaurant. As mentioned, making mole poblano does take a number of steps and ingredients to do it right, but it’s definitely worth the effort. Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
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Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Red Enchilada Sauce Green Enchilada Sauce Salsa Verde Salsa Roja Adobo Sauce Guajillo Sauce Classic Chile Rellenos Beef Enchiladas Chicken Enchiladas Chicken Tinga Pipian Rojo (Mexican Red Pipian Sauce) See all of my Mexican Recipes
