trying to get home for xmas. New traffic extension for Google Chrome: https://t.co/MXy7N9dU
Mole Poblano
This recipe is comprised of five steps. The first four steps can each be made a day or two ahead. Don't feel daunted by the long list of ingredients and the many steps. The variety of chilies can be found at Mexican grocery stores as well as at Whole Foods stores. If worse comes to worst, don't sweat it. Use whatever chilies you can lay your hands on. Remember, by doing exactly that, the Mexicans created a handful of delicious mole variations.
Ingredients
At a glance
Cuisine
Main Ingredient
Cooking Method
Difficulty Level
Tidings Eats
Serves
6
Step 1: Roasting the Chilies
16 dried mulatto chilies
8 dried ancho chilies
3 dried pasilla chilies
1 dried chipotle chili
Step 2: Roasting the Vegetables
2 large onions, quartered
1 tomato
1/2 lb. tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 head garlic, cut in half
2 corn tortillas (each about 7 inches in diameter)
Step 3: Cooking the Seasonings and Thickeners
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 plantain (skin should be black if it's ripe), peeled and chopped
1/2 cup each dry-roasted almonds and peanuts
1/2 cup prunes, chopped and pitted
1/3 cup raisins
2 sticks cinnamon, each about 2 inches long
1 tsp each coriander seeds and anise seeds
Step 4: Assembling the Mole
6 chicken legs
Roasted chilies
Roasted vegetables
Seasonings and thickeners
2 cups chicken broth
4 oz Mexican chocolate (or 4 oz semisweet chocolate and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)
Step 5: Serving Mole Poblano
grated cheese
guacamole
warmed corn tortillas
hot rice
Method/Steps
Step 1: Roasting the Chilies
1. Lay dried mulatto, ancho, pasilla and chipotle chillies in a single layer in a large pan. Bake in a 300°F oven until chies smell lightly toasted and are flexible, 5-8 minutes. While they are still warm, discard stems and shake out seeds.
2. Rinse chilies and put in a large bowl; add 8 cups boiling water. Let stand until soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain; save liquid. Purée chilies until smooth in a food processor. Add a total of 2 cups of the reserved liquid. Rub firmly through a fine strainer into a bowl; discard residue.
Step 2: Roasting the Vegetables
1. In a large pan, combine onions, tomato, tomatillos, garlic and tortillas. Bake in a 450°F, turning occasionally, until the vegetables and tortillas have dark brown spots or edges. Let cool. Pull off vegetables sikns and discard.
2. Purée mixture in a food processor until smooth; add 1 cup of the reserved chili liquid from above. Rub firmly through a fine strainer into a bowl; idscard residue.
Step 3: Cooking the Seasonings and Thickeners
1. In a large frying pan set over medium heat, stir sesame seeds until toast, about 4 minutes; set aside.
2. To pan, add oil, plantain, almonds, peanuts, prunes, raisins, cinnamon, coriander and anise. Stir often over medium heat until mixture is richly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Purée mixture a and sesame seeds in a food processor until smooth. Add remaining chi liquid from step 1.
Step 4: Assembling the Mole
1. Grill chicken legs until cooked through; set aside.
2. In a large pan, mix chilies, vegetables, seasoning and thickeners and broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cover and simmer to blend flavours, about 2 hours; stirring often.
3. Chop chocolate; mix with sauce until melted.
Step 5: Serving Mole Poblano
Pour 6 to 8 cups warm mole sauce over 6 chicken legs. Offer any or all of the additions listed above for diners to personalize their own bowls of chicken in mole poblano.
Wine and Spirits Match
Serve with a dessert of sliced pineapple and watermelon and chilled glasses of Mexican beer.