Mole Poblano Sauce

Mole is a rich, dark, reddish-brown, smooth sauce made spicy and robust with a creative blend of seasonings that most often includes dried chiles, onion, garlic, and ground sesame or pumpkin seeds. Its best-known ingredient is Mexican chocolate which is used sparingly. The chocolate, flavored with cinnamon, almonds, and vanilla, provides richness to the sauce without adding a cloyingly sweet aftertaste. In Mexico, mole, commonly served with poultry, is prepared in hundreds of ways. Its roster of ingredients can number few as four and as many as four dozen.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 55 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 109 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ cup raisins
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 4 peppers dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 4 peppers New Mexico dried red chile pods, stemmed and seeded
• 2 medium tomatoes - peeled, seeded, and chopped
• ½ (6 inch) corn tortilla, torn
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, divided
• 1 ounce Mexican chocolate

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine dried chiles, tomatoes, onion, tortilla pieces, raisins, garlic, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, cloves, and coriander in a bowl. Puree small amounts of this mixture in a blender until smooth.

Step 2

Melt shortening in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the puree and saute, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add broth and chocolate, and cook over very low heat until sauce is very thick, about 45 minutes. Garnish with remaining sesame seeds.