Mole Poblano

A deep, savory mole poblano layers three dried chiles with toasted nuts, seeds, warm spices, tomato, and restrained Mexican chocolate.

115 min

8 half-cup portions

Ingredients

4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

3 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded

3 dried mulato chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 tbsp neutral oil

1/3 cup raw almonds

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp hulled pumpkin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp whole cloves

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

6 black peppercorns

1 small yellow onion, quartered

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 medium plum tomatoes, halved

2 tbsp raisins

4 cups low-sodium chicken stock, divided

1/2 oz Mexican chocolate, finely chopped

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Dry skillet · Heavy pot · Blender · Fine-mesh strainer · Small plate

Avoid bitterness

Toast each chile and spice only until fragrant. Remove it promptly; dark chiles, smoking oil, or scorched seeds can make the whole pot bitter.

Keep mole central

Offer the warm sauce with turkey, chicken, or enchiladas, and spoon it over at serving so the sauce remains the focus.

01. Wipe, stem, seed, and tear the ancho, pasilla, and mulato chiles into flat pieces.

02. Toast chile pieces over medium-low heat in uncrowded batches; stop at a fruity fragrance before any blackening or smoke.

03. Cover with very hot water and soak until supple; reserve a cup of the clean-tasting liquid before draining.

04. Toast almonds, sesame and pumpkin seeds separately; briefly toast the coriander, cumin, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon last.

05. Char onion and tomatoes until soft; add garlic only at the end so it turns pale gold without scorching.

06. Blend chiles, toasted ingredients, aromatics, raisins, and enough stock in batches; vent carefully and strain each batch.

07. Fry the puree in neutral oil, stirring until darker and roasted-smelling rather than raw.

08. Add stock gradually and simmer low, scraping the bottom often as the sauce thickens and turns glossy.

09. Melt in Mexican chocolate, then add vinegar and salt; keep sweetness in the background and balance the finish to taste.

10. Rest the sauce briefly and serve warm with roast turkey, chicken, or enchiladas as a pairing.