Description

This is the chocolatey, rich molé many of us are familiar with only with fewer ingredients. Unlike the all-day process of so many molés this one takes only 90 minutes to prepare. With charred ingredients and without nuts and raisins this molé has a dark, almost tending toward bitter flavor. Easy to make gluten free and/or vegetarian.

Ingredients

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7 Ancho Chiles, stems and seeds removed
5 Guajillo Chiles stems and seeds removed
3 Morita Chiles
1/2 cup Oil (Lard, Duck Fat, Bacon Drippings, Vegetable Oil)
2 Peppercorn, crushed
1” Piece of Cinnamon, crushed
1 Bay Leaf
1/8 tsp Thyme
1/2 Onion, cut into thick slices
1 lb Tomatoes cut into quarters
6 Garlic Cloves, unpeeled
2 Slices Bread toasted very dark
2 oz Baking Chocolate
4 cups Broth (Turkey, Chicken or Vegetable)

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Instructions

Roast the onion pieces and garlic under the broiler for approx 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. The goal is to get them blackened in spots.
Put the tomatoes in a pot with 2 cups of broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
Heat 1/4 cup of your oil of choice in a frying pan. Cook the chile strips for 30 seconds, pushing down with a wooden spoon and flipping them once half way through. Do this a couple at a time.
Put the onions, garlic, pepper, cinnamon, bay leaf, thyme and 1 cup of broth in the blender and blend until smooth.
Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large soup pot and add the onion mixture. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
Crumble the chiles into the blender, add 1 cup of broth and blend until smooth. Add the chile paste to the soup pot.
Pour the tomatoes and the broth they were cooked with into the blender, add the crumbled bread and blend until smooth. Add them to the soup pot.
Add the chocolate to the soup pot and stir until everything is well mixed. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Notes

This makes a thick molé. It can be thinned with more broth if desired.

This recipe can be gluten free by using gluten free bread.

This recipe can be vegetarian by using vegetable broth and vegetable oil.