Description
This is the classic molé that people are most familiar with. We adapted this from a recipe by Rick Bayless, one of the foremost authorities on Mexican cooking, and it’s honestly the best classic molé we’ve ever made. The flavors are immaculately married and the sauce is deep, flavorful, spicy and the chocolate comes through.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 3 Tomatillos
- 5 Pasilla Chiles
- 5 Ancho Chiles
- 3 Guajillo Chiles
- 2 Moritas
- 3/4 cup Bacon Fat, Lard or Oil
- 5 Garlic Cloves
- 1/2 cup Almonds (slivered or whole)
- 1/2 cup Raisins
- 2/3 cup Sesame Seeds
- 1 1/2 oz Baking Chocolate
- 2 Star Anise
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Slice Gluten Free Bread, toasted dark
- 6 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 Tbls Sugar
Instructions
- In an oiled baking pan, roast the tomatillos under a broiler on high for 5 minutes on a side until they blacken and turn soft, usually 10 to 20 minutes total. Scrape into a large mixing bowl.
- Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and tear them into flat pieces. Leave the Moritas whole.
- Put 1/2 cup of your fat into a large soup pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the chiles a few at a time. Cook for 30 seconds, turning frequently and transfer to a large bowl, leaving behind as much oil as possible. Repeat until all the chiles have been cooked. Don’t let them burn. Cover the chiles with water. You will need at least 6 cups of soaking water.
- Peel the garlic. Add the almonds and garlic to the oil and cook for 5 minutes until browned and the garlic has softened. Add them to the tomatillos.
- Add the raisins to the pot and cook for about 30 seconds, until they have browned a little and puffed up. Add the raisins to the tomatillo mixture. Set the pan off the heat and reserve.
- In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds. You need to stir this frequently to keep from burning them. They should start to turn golden after about 5 minutes. When done add 1/2 cup to the bowl with the tomatillos, almonds, garlic and raisins, reserving the remainder for garnish.
- Add the cinnamon, black pepper, star anise, cloves, bread, chocolate and 1 1/2 cups broth to the tomatillo mixture. Stir and set aside.
- Strain the chiles and reserve 6 cups of the soaking liquid. Put half the chiles and 3 cups soaking liquid into a blender. Blend until as smooth as you can get it. Pour into a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Repeat with the other half of the chiles and 3 cups soaking liquid. Push the sauce through the strainer.
- Return the soup pot to the burner on medium heat. Pour in the chile puree and cook for 30 minutes stirring frequently.
- Put the tomatillo mixture into the blender and blend until smooth. Pour the tomatillo mixture into the strainer and push it through. Add the tomatillo mixture to the chiles and cook another 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the remaining broth to the pot and simmer for two hours over medium low heat until the sauce has darkened, thickened to the desired consistency and the flavors have married. Add the salt and the sugar and stir.
Notes
This sauce is great over chicken, in enchiladas or with any meat you like for tacos.
