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Oaxaca-Style Mole Sauce

Complicated, No! Labor intensive, Maybe! Lol! I promise you that once you begin preparing your own molé sauce at home, the store bought will not be quite as tasty as you thought. I grew up with mole paste out of a jar and it's great! But I feel the need to challenge myself when it comes to cooking especially. This is how I learn new things. 
Course Salsa/Sauces
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

Ingredients For Recado(Chile Sauce)

  • Manteca pork lard or canola oil
  • 10-12 chile pasilla stems and seeds removed
  • 8 chile mulato stems and seeds removed
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 2 full teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 8-10 cloves garlic sliced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup white vinegar optional
  • salt to taste
  • *I decided not to add any chile de arbol to this variation to keep it on the more mild side.

Seeds and Nuts

  • 1/4 cup blanched almonds
  • 1/4 cup natural pepitas
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds

The Spices

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon anise
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 6 to 8 peppercorns
  • 1 inch piece of Mexican cinnamon

Other Ingredients

  • 1 large roma tomato
  • 2 to 3 chile serrano
  • 1/2 large white onion sliced into thick rings
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic skins on
  • 1/3 cup raisins steeped in hot water
  • 2 corn tortillas toasted until charred(toast and char on a dry skillet at medium heat. Turn as needed)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter I used this since I had no peanuts
  • 1 disc Mexican chocolate 3 to 3.5 ounces
  • 8 to 10 cups chicken broth
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • I also wanted to note that I did not include any platano macho or plantains. It is a common ingredient used, but again not always easy to find where I live.

Instructions

Directions For Recado

  • Heat 1/3 to 1/2 cup oil to medium heat. After a few minutes, add two of the dried chiles. Cook for just about 20 to 30 seconds per side. They will become brighter in color at first, then start to darken in color. As soon as they become darker, take them out and transfer to a plate. Repeat until all peppers are done.  Once peppers are done, break them into smaller pieces(they should be very brittle) and cover them with boiling water. Let them steep.
  • In that same pan, add a little more oil and heat to medium/low. Add the cumin seeds, oregano and garlic. Cook stirring often until the spices and garlic become aromatic and slightly toasted. Remove from heat.
  • Drain the water from the chiles and transfer them to the blender. Add 2 cups of fresh water or chicken broth, vinegar and all of the remaining ingredients, including the oil that you cooked the spices in. I prefer not to use the water that the chiles were soaking in. It can be bitter at times. Blend on high until smooth. Taste for salt. Strain sauce through a wire mesh strainer.

Directions For Toasting and Roasting

  • In one skillet, combine the almonds and pepitas(pumpkin seeds). Heat to medium and add just a drizzle of oil. When they begin to sizzle, stir as needed and cook just until lightly toasted. remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl.
  • Wipe out that same skillet and add the sesame seeds. Heat to medium and toast until golden in color. Stir as needed. Transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the skillet. Reserve 1/2 of the toasted sesame seeds for garnish on the mole.
  • In the skillet, add the spices and heat to medium. When they become aromatic, stir often. Toast for just a few minutes and remove from heat. Wipe out the skillet. Again and finally in this same skillet, add the tomato, onion, serrano and garlic. Drizzle with a little oil and heat to medium. Cook until they begin to char in some spots and cook through. remove the garlic after 15 minutes. If you feel comfortable toasting several ingredients at once using a few pans, you could do that as well.

Directions for Finishing The Sauce

  • Using a  coffee grinder or mini chopper, add the toasted nuts.  Grind by pulsing until it resembles a thick paste. Set side. Using a coffee grinder(I use mine strictly for spices) add the toasted spices and seeds. Grind until you have a fine paste/powder. Set aside.
  • Once everything is toasted, roasted and charred, add the ground seeds, nuts and spices to the blender. Also add the charred tomato, onion and serrano. Remove skins from garlic and add them, along with the raisins, charred tortillas and peanut butter. Add 2 cups of broth. Blend on high until smooth. For a smoother sauce, strain sauce through wire strainer and set aside.
  • In a large dutch oven pot, add 2-3 tablespoons of pork lard(manteca)  or oil of choice, and heat to medium. After a few minutes when oil is hot, add the strained chile sauce(sauce from dried chiles). Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring as needed. Add the other blended sauce and 6 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and add the Mexican chocolate. Stir as needed to melt chocolate. Cover 3/4 of the way and continue simmering the mole sauce for a good hour or two. The sauce will become darker and thicker as it cooks and reduces. add extra broth (2 or more cups)depending on how thick you like it. Taste for salt along the way.

Notes

I also wanted to note, that I did not include any platano macho or plantains. It is a common ingredient used, but again not always easy to find where I live.