Ingredients

How to make it

  • First, stem the chiles, then tear them open and separate the seeds and reserve them. Heat a pan over high heat, and add the seeds and tortilla (turn on your exhuast fan and open a window). When they're quite black, dump them in a strainer and rinse under running water for a minute, until the water runs clear. Transfer to your blender and clean, rinse, and dry the pan. Add the toasted bread to the blender.
  • Put the pan on high heat, and add the onion slices and garlic cloves. Roast until soft, and remove to a bowl. Squish the garlic out of the peels and discard the peels.
  • Roast the nuts in a 350 degree oven until fragrant and remove. Heat the pan over high heat and add a half-inch of oil or lard. Be. Very. Careful. Here. Fry the chiles a couple at a time. They will get fragrant, and when they begin to lighten, remove them -- it only takes a few seconds on each side. Be careful not to burn the chiles — and you still have the exhaust fan on and the window open, right? Remove them as they are done to a paper towel and drain. Put them in a large bowl, cover with boiling water, and let them soak for thirty minutes. Drain.
  • Reserve about 1/4 cup of the toasted sesame seeds for garnish, and put the remaining seeds and nuts into the blender. Add about 2 c. of the stock, and puree until smooth. Remove to a bowl. (There is no need to rinse the blender until you're completely done with it.)
  • Puree the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, garlic, and about 1/2 c. of the stock until smooth. Remove to a bowl.
  • Grind the cloves and cinnamon. Add the spices to the blender with the onion and garlic, oregano, thyme, banana, and about 1/2 c. of the stock. Puree until smooth and remove to a bowl.
  • Puree the chiles in two batches, each with 2 c. of the stock, and remove to a bowl. Now, you can wash the blender.
  • In a large, heavy, preferably non-stick pot, heat 3 T. of oil or lard over high heat until very hot. Add the tomato-tomatillo puree, and cook, stirring constantly, until very dark and thick. Add the seed/nut mixture, and repeat, stirring until again, very thick. Add the banana mixture and repeat, again until very thick. Add the chile mixture, turn the heat down to low, and let it cook until very thick and dark, stirring every few minutes. Add the stock and chocolate, mix well, pour into a slow cooker and simmer slowly on the low setting for five to six hours (you can do this on top of the stove, but be careful because the nuts fall to the bottom and tend to burn, and if that happens, you have to throw it all out).
  • Add salt and sugar to taste (dried chiles contain a large amount of tannin, and you may need to add some sugar to offset the bitter tannin taste, though most of it should have cooked away, and you do NOT want sweet mole). The Mexicans strain everything at every opportunity. It would be considered mandatory there to strain the mole when done. Don't feel obligated. Really. It's amazingly good whether you strain it or not.
  • Mole is a sauce. You can tuck a few chicken breasts in some of the mole (freeze the rest) and simmer them until done, then sprinkle them with sesame seeds. You can poach chicken breasts separately, shred the chicken, and moisten with mole as a taco or tamale filling. You can do anything you like.

Reviews & Comments 7

Add a Link?

Post a link to another recipe or group by pasting the url into the box where you want it to show up. We'll do the rest.

Post Message or cancel
  • joe1155 15 years ago
    This sounds so delicious. I am cooking with a bottled mole for the first time today. Maybe I will try to make this sometime.
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    elgab89 ate it and said...
    I love all the Oaxacan cuisine. Mole verde is my favorite. I never attempted to even think to cook this absolutely fabulous dish - it is for the very experienced ones - and Kudos to you for making it! Your posting inspires me to try it - although I cannot guarantee that I will succeed...
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    tazoncaffeine ate it and said...
    I love a good mole and this one very authentic. Thank you for posting! :-) (I like mole poblano, too :-) but appreciate real mexican cooking better.
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
  • bondc 16 years ago
    You're thinking of Mole Poblano, the invented dish. Moles were being made when the Spanish arrived.

    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
  • abermouse 16 years ago
    Awesome...A couple of Nuns in Mexico invested this sauce, using everything they had in their cupboard. According to the real story, these ingredients are the original ones from what I can tell, except theirs had the chocolate in it, but no banana
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
  • dancegypsy67 16 years ago
    I never really thought about making a mole. This recipe just changed my mind.
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    alexander_kassal ate it and said...
    What are you trying to do man, blow my little salmon recipe out of the water ? I am going to make this tomorrow and I believe that it will be the best of its kind I have yet seen - Thank You!
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag

Maybe List
Hang onto this recipe

while I look at others.

Holding 0 recipes