Mole Sauce from Puebla
Mole Sauce from Puebla
Mole PoblanoMole Poblano is the best-known mole sauce from all of Mexico. The sauce is complex with ingredients that are roasted, toasted, fried, and blended before being simmered into the seductive dark and spicy sauce that's most often served over chicken or turkey. It's a labor of love to make this famous sauce from Puebla that legend tells us was first concocted by the nuns in the Convent of Santa Rosa. Every Mexican cook may vary the mole to her or his exacting standards. This delicious version is adapted from a recipe from Chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita of Mexico City. It takes about 3 to 4 hours to make, but will be worth the effort.
Ingrediënten
Makes 7 to 8 cups
- 4 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
- 6 mulato chiles
- 4 pasilla negro chiles
- 2 ancho chiles
- Vegetable oil or lard for frying
- ¾ pound 5 or 6 plum tomatoes, cored
- ¼ pound 3 or 4 small tomatillos, husked
- 2 1⁄4-inch thick round slices white onion
- 2 whole medium garlic cloves peeled
- 1 6- to 7-inch corn tortilla, cut in quarters
- 1 slice 1 ounce French bread
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 1 cinnamon stick Mexican canela or Ceylon variety preferred
- ¼ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons hulled raw green pumpkin seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon whole allspice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 ounces Mexican chocolate Ibarra or other brand
Instructies
- Put the broth and 2 cups of water in a big pot.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and keep warm.
- Wipe all the chiles clean with a damp cloth and split them in half lengthwise.
- Discard the stems, seeds, and veins.
- In a large dry nonstick skillet, toast the chiles, 2 to 3 at a time, until slightly blistered and aromatic, about 10 seconds per chile.
- Put the chiles in the pan with the broth as they are toasted.
- In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and cook the tomatoes and tomatillos, turning frequently, until browned in a few spots, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add to the broth with the chiles.
- In the skillet, cook the onion and garlic until they start to brown in spots, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add to the broth.
- Fry the tortilla and bread until crisp and brown.
- Add to the broth.
- Add the raisins and cinnamon stick to the broth.
- Stir to mix and cook, uncovered, over low heat, until the chiles and vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
- When finished, remove pan from heat and let cool.
- Meanwhile, put the roasted peanuts in a medium bowl.
- In a medium dry skillet, toast the almonds until they start to color and are aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Put in the bowl with the peanuts.
- In the skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds until they start to pop around in the pan.
- Add to the bowl.
- Toast the cumin seeds in the same skillet and add to the bowl.
- Cool the toasted nuts and seeds.
- When cool, pulverize all of the nuts and seeds to a powder in a spice grinder (or coffee grinder reserved for spices) along with the cloves and allspice.
- Grind in batches and reserve in a bowl.
- Using a large slotted spoon transfer to a blender 2 to 3 cups of the cooked chiles and vegetables from the cooking pot.
- Add ¾ cup broth and purée as smooth as possible and pour into a large bowl.
- Repeat in batches until all are blended.
- Stir in the sugar, salt, and the ground nut mixture.
- Mix well.
- In a large, heavy deep pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil.
- Add the blended mixture from the bowl.
- Bring to a boil, stirring, and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes.
- Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- After 30 minutes, add the chocolate and stir, constantly to prevent scorching, until the chocolate melts.
- The sauce should have the consistency of heavy cream.
- If too thick, add more broth.
- Partially cover the pot, and simmer, stirring frequently, 15 more minutes.
- Adjust seasoning.
- The sauce is ready to use, or, in a covered container refrigerate up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Use protective kitchen gloves when preparing the chiles.
