This is the best mole I've ever had. It's from Los Dos Cooking School in
Merida, Mexico. (Martha Stwart just profiled them on her show, but I attended a Day of the Dead multi-day seminar a couple years ago.)
Mole de KahluaSavory Chocolate/Coffee Mole
from Los Dos Cooking School in Merida, Mexico
Moles are typical of central-southwestern Mexico and are not at all Yucatean. This mole is base on the classic and famous mole poblano, which originated in Puebla. Its characteristic ingredients are two dried varieties of chile poblano (the mulato and the ancho) and to finish off its rich, earthy taste--a healthy portion of bittersweet chocolate. For a surprising new twist, we've added a touch of espresso and a splash of Kahlua, both of which beautifully compliment the chocolate. Even experienced Mexican cooks may find the moles daunting, with their multi-page list of ingredients and processes. To update, we have streamlined where possible and broken down the recipe into just a few simple steps. And we have suggested shortcuts whereever possible.
Yield - About 6 cups of mole paste
Preparation time: Approximately 2 hours not including the overnight soaking of the chiles.
Step 1 (One day before) : Prepare the chiles
4 ounces each: dried pasilla, mulato and ancho chiles
Preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, slice off stem caps of chiles, cut a slit down one side and open to remove all seeds. Flatten, and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let chiles soak overnight.
Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables
3 large Roma tomatoes, whole
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 small white onion, peeled
Drain the chiles, rinse well, and cover again with boiling water. Meanwhile, preheat a dry comal or heavy cast iron skillet at least 5 minutes over highest heat. When hot, add the tomatoes, garlic, and onion. Char until blackened in patches. Allow to cool and coarsely chop vegetables. Set aside.
Step 3: Prepare the Peanuts
1 1/2 cups honey roasted peanuts
In a food processor, pulverize the peanuts about 3-4 minutes until very fine. After another minute or so, the nuts will start clumping in a ball, turning into peanut butter. Set aside.
Step 4: Prepare the spices
1 Tbs. ground Mexican oregano
1 tsp. each ground allspice, cloves, and Mexican cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbs. lard (substitute vegetable oil)
1/2 cup black raisins
Heat the oil in a manteca or cast iron skillet. Add spices and raisins. Cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes or until fragrant and raisins have plumped. Set aside.
Step 5: Prepare the chocolate
1/4 cup Kahlua
1/4 cup freshly brewed espresso
1 chile chipotle en adobo (available canned in supermarkets - Mexican isle)
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
In a blender, puree the Kahlua, espresso, chile and optional sugar. Pour mixture into bowl over simmering water. Add chocolate and heat until chocolate is melted. Set aside.
Step 6: Prepare the Mole paste
Drain the chiles, rinse in cold water and drain again. Puree the chiles in a food processor and empty into a large bowl.
In a blender, puree the roasted vegetables, peanuts and spices.
Add to the chiles in the bowl and stir well to incorporate.
Working in batches, return the chile mixture to the blender and process for a minute or two until fine and smooth.
Step 7: More on the Mole paste (getting closer!) 2 Tbs. lard (substitute vegetable oil)
Heat the manteca or oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add mole paste to hot fat and cook for 25 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Add chocolate mixture and cook, stirring another 10 minutes. Divide the mole paste into two portions of about 3 cups each; freeze one portion for later use. Plan ahead note: You may prepare the mole paste in advance and freeze up to 6 months. Thaw and finish as below.
Step 8: Finish the Mole
3 cups mole paste
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. salt or to taste
Place the mole paste in a saucepan over low heat. Add chicken stock; simmer, stirring frequently, about 5-10 minutes to thicken. The consistency should be like BBQ sauce: thick but pourable. Check seasoning and serve.
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