Mole Sauce (Mexican)

Layered with flavour (and labor-intensive!) mole sauce is a mysterious, delicious, intense blend that defies description. First of all, it’s pronounced MOH-lay, and it’s generally used in the U.S. to describe a particular type of sauce, one spiced with earthy, rich flavours. In the minds of many, chocolate is the ingredient that has come to define mole  - but there are actually over 40 different forms of the sauce and some of them don’t even include chocolate! The reason for the variety is that the word “mole” derives from the Aztecs’ molli (or mulli), which just means “sauce.”

Veggie Base:
4 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
3 small tomatoes

Spice Blend:
8 black peppercorns
1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1 tsp.fennel seeds
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Peppers:
6 dried ancho peppers
3 dried pasilla peppers
2 cups hot water

Nut Mixture:
2 Tbsp. almonds
¼ cup peanuts
¼ cup pecans
¼ cup raisins

Other Ingredients:
5-6 cups chicken stock (recipe below)
1 plantain or unripe banana
4 corn tortillas
3 oz Mexican Chocolate (Ibarra is good)
¼ cup lard

Chicken Stock:
1 whole chicken
8-10 cups water
1 onion, quartered
2 stalks celery
2 carrots, chopped
10 black peppercorns
2 dried ancho peppers

Add all the stock ingredients to a large stock pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, for 2-3 hours. Strain stock and set aside. Discard veggies. Let chicken cool for later.

For sauce, roast dried peppers at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until fragrant. Then add peppers to a bowl with 2 cups boiling water. Let side for 30 minutes.

Toast spices in a large skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Then grind spices into a powder and set aside.

Roughly chop veggies for base and roast for 15 minutes at 350°F.

Add roasted veggies to a blender with 1 cup chicken stock and blend until smooth. Strain and add veggie base to a large pot.

Cook nuts in melted lard over medium heat until they are lightly browned. Then add raisins and cook for another minute until they are soft. Be careful not to burn raisins.

Add nuts and raisins to blender with 1 cup stock and puree. Once smooth, add to veggie base.

Sauté diced banana (or plantain) in lard along with corn tortillas until lightly browned. Then add to blender with 1-2 cups stock and blend until smooth. Add mixture to sauce pot.

Add another two cups of chicken stock to sauce pot along with ground spices and chocolate.

Bring sauce to a simmer and simmer, on medium-low heat for 90-120 minutes, stirring regularly.

Season sauce with salt and pepper and serve over enchiladas or chicken or turkey.

Extra sauce will keep in the fridge for two weeks or you can also freeze it for later.