The mole recipe here will take time, but it will also elevate your kitchen and table immeasurably. Mole can be used to sauce many dishes. Try on chicken thighs, enchiladas, drizzled over grilled tofu, or a variety of tacos. A mole can last in the fridge for 5-7 days and can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
Mole is a traditional Mexican sauce and marinade. All mole sauces begin with chili peppers. They can contain fruits, nuts and various spices. Mole is often associated with celebration.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 cups | 2 hour |
| Cook Time |
| 1 hour |
|
|
Ingredients
- 3 each ancho chile, dry
- 3 each guajillo chile, dry
- 3 each chipotle chile, dry
- 1 pound fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 8 ounces lard (talo or vegetable oil also work)
- .5 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup grapes or cherries, pitted
- 1 each plantain, peeled and diced
- 1 each apple, peeled and diced
- 1 cup pineapple, diced
- 1 each onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- .5 cup sesame seeds
- .5 cup almonds
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp allspice berries
- 2 each cloves
- 1 each dried Star Anise
- 6 ounces piloncillo (or dark brown sugar)
- 6 ea nixta tostadas
- 1 quart chicken broth (pork or vegetable also work)
- a pinch of salt
Servings: cups
Units:
Instructions
- On a comal or flat heating pan toast chiles until soft and fragrant, remove seeds and stems and soak them in hot water for at least 2 hours.
- In a nonstick pan, toast seeds and spices moving frequently to prevent burning until aromatic and lightly toasted, set aside.
- In the same nonstick pan, tatemar (light burn) tomato and fruits stirring constantly until charred. See notes below.
- In a thick bottom pot or saucepan, at medium heat, add 4 oz oil then add all toasted and charred ingredients, stirring constantly to prevent sticking, until fruits and tomato will begin to breakdown and emulsify.
- Strain the chiles and add to spices and fruits, reserving the soaking water.
- In a different small pot, add 2 qts of chile soaking water and 6 oz piloncillo or raw brown sugar and reduce until 1 cup is left.
- Add tostadas, chicken stock and reduce chile/piloncillo water to the mix and low the heat to continue to cook until everything has softened.
- In a blender add small amounts of the mixture and puree until smooth.
- In a separate thick bottom pot add remaining of fat and re fry the blended mixture, season with salt and cook until smooth, uniform and coats the back of a spoon. share with others.
Recipe Notes
- Tatemar is an integral technique of Mexican cuisine. In this recipe you'll cook in a nonstick pan at high heat. Look for a char on the outside of your ingredients and a tender inside. This adds a tremendous amount of character to your ingredients. If you are nervous about this process, you could also grill these items to get the char on the outside!
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