Mole Tradicional Recipe

How to make it

---

• Mise en place - the French cooking term that means, get everything ready before you begin. That's the first step, stem and seed your chilies, toast your bread, measure everything out and have everything in little piles or containers. Set out two bowls.
• Spread the tomatillos on a baking sheet and put under the broiler. Broil about 5 minutes, or until darkly roasted and blackened in spots. Turn them over and roast the other side, 4 - 5 minutes or until blackened, blistered and soft. Scrape them, juice and all into one of the bowls.
• Set out a pair of tongs and a slotted spoon.
• If your sesame seeds aren't already toasted, toast them in a small skilled set over medium heat. Scrape 2/3's of them into the bowl with the tomatillos, reserve the rest for garnish.
• Put the chilies in a large bowl, cover with 2 1/2 cups boiling water (place a plate on top of them to keep them submerged) allow them to soak for 30 minutes.
• Heat a large Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela over medium heat. Measure the lard or oil into the pot and heat over medium heat. Fry the garlic and almonds, stirring, until the garlic is soft and the almonds are browned throughout, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the tomatillos.
• Add the raisins to the pot; stir for about 30 seconds, or until they are puffed up. Scoop them out and add to the tomatillos. Always try to leave as much of the fat in the pot as possible.
• Use tongs and put the chilies in a blender with soaking liquid. Blend until smooth; then put through the medium disk of a food mill, or force though a medium sieve to collect the skins, strain into the empty chile soaking bowl.
• Without washing the blender, scrape the tomatillo mixture into it along with 1 cup water, the cinnamon, pepper, cloves, bread and chocolate(s). Blend to a smooth paste; then put it through the same food mill or strainer, straining it back into its original bowl.
• Check the fat in the pot. If there is more than a light coating, remove some, if it is not coated, add a little. Set the heat to medium high; scrape in the chile puree and stir nearly constantly until the mixture has darkened considerably and is thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, 10 to 15 minutes. (Here the stirring is very important, otherwise the mixture will bubble and send drops of hot chili all over the stove, it's a mess, trust me.) When it's reached this point, add the tomatillo mixture and stir again for another 10 or 15 minutes, until quite thick.
• Add 6 cups water and stir to combine thoroughly. Partially cover; reduce the heat to medium low and cook 45 minutes. Check the consistency; the mole should be thick enough to cover a spoon, but not too thickly. If too thin, simmer uncovered until it reaches the right consistency, if too thick, add a little water. Add the sugar and stir well.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• While the mole cooks, heat a fry pan with a little oil over medium heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper; and put skin side down in the hot pan, allow to brown, then turn and brown the other side. Turn skin side up, and if the frying pan is oven safe, put it into the oven and cook the chicken about 30 minutes. (If the frying pan is not oven safe transfer the chicken to a baking dish.) Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle remove the skin.
• Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish and spoon enough mole over to cover completely. (Make to this point up to 3 days in advance, the mole improves considerably when it has a few days to sit.)
• When ready to serve, remove the mole and bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve.