Description
When people talk about molé that takes all day to make they are talking about Oaxacan Black Molé.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 5 Chilhuacles Negros, Seeded, seeds reserved
- 5 Guajillos, Seeded, seeds reserved
- 4 Pasillas Mexicanos, Seeded, seeds reserved
- 4 Anchos Negros, Seeded, seeds reserved
- 2 Chipotles Mecos
- 1 Serrano Chile
- 1 Head Garlic, Peeled
- 1 Onion, Chopped
- 2 Tbls Whole Almonds
- 2 Tbls Raw Peanuts, shelled
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 3 Black Peppercorns
- 3 Whole Cloves
- 1/4 cup Oil – lard, bacon fat or olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tbls Raisins
- 1 Slice Gluten Free Bread
- 1 Plantain, sliced
- 1/2 cup Sesame Seeds
- 2 Pecan Halves
- 1/2 lb Chopped Tomatoes
- 1/4 lb Chopped Tomatillos
- 3 sprigs Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Mexican Oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Yerba Santa Leaf (optional)
- 5 oz Chocolate (100% Cacao)
Instructions
- Roast the peppers on the grill to blacken the skins. Put them in a soup pot with a lid to steam as they cool. Remove the stems, skins and seeds, reserving the seeds for later
- Put the peppers in a hot cast iron pan and cook, stirring frequently for four minutes. Do this in batches, and transfer to a bowl when they are aromatic and slightly smoky.
- Pour boiling water over the chiles, enough to cover, and let soak for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Put the garlic and onions in the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- Put the almonds, peanuts, cinnamon stick, peppercorns and cloves in the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Scrape them into a bowl along with any blackened bits left in the pan.
- Put the chile seeds into the pan and cook until they blacken. Light them on fire with a flame and let them burn until the fire burns out. Put the ash into a bowl with one cup of hot water and let soak for 10 minutes.
- Strain off the chile seeds and put them in a blender. Pulse until a paste forms.
- Working in batches, put the chiles into a blender with a little bit of the soaking water and blend until smooth. Pour off into another bowl and repeat until all the chiles are blended. Add the seeds to the last blenderful.
- Push the chile paste through a fine mesh strainer.
- Wipe out your cast iron pan and return it to the heat. Put a drizzle of oil in, get it warm and then add the raisins. Cook for two minutes and then remove to a bowl.
- Add the plantain and the bread to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove them to the bowl with the raisins.
- Add some more oil to the pan and toss in the sesame seeds. Cook for 5 minutes and then add the pecan halves. Cook for 2 more minutes and then remove to the bowl with the raisins and plantain. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Put the nuts, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns from earlier into a spice grinder and grind them up. Put the finished product back in the bowl.
- Put the sesame seeds and pecans in the spice grinder and grind them up. Put them in the bowl with the other nuts.
- Heat the pan back up and add the tomatoes and tomatillos. Add the Mexican oregano and thyme leaves. Cook for 20 minutes and remove to a bowl.
- Blend the tomato mixture until smooth. Reserve in a bowl.
- Working in batches, put 1/3 of the onion and garlic in the blender along with 1/3 of the plantain, 1/3 of the raisins, bread, sesame and spice mix and 1/3 cup of chicken stock. Blend this until smooth, put it in a bowl and repeat twice more.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil of your choice in a large soup pot on medium heat. Tip in the chile paste and cook for 20 minutes.
- Add the tomato and tomatillo sauce. Stir it in well and let cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the onion, nut, plantain, spice mix and let that cook together for 10 minutes.
- Add 1 Cup Chicken Stock and 1 1/2 tsp Salt. Let this cook for 20 minutes.
- Toast the yerba santa leaf over a flame or in a skillet.
- Break up the chocolate and stir it into the sauce.
- Add the yerba santa leaf and the rest of the chicken stock. Let this all cook for at least another hour. Keep an eye on it and if it gets too thick add more chicken stock.
- Use the sauce right away, refrigerate it for 3 or 4 days or freeze it for later use.