Mole Negro

Ingredients

• 4 dried chilhuacle negro chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried mulato chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 corn tortilla, torn into pieces
• 1 slice stale white bread, torn into pieces
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, plus extra for garnish
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds
• 2 tablespoons peanuts
• 1 plantain, peeled and sliced
• 1 white onion, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 3 plum tomatoes
• 3 tomatillos, husked
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 dried avocado leaves (optional)
• 2 ounces Mexican dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup lard or vegetable oil
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Method

1. 1

   Heat a dry comal or heavy skillet over medium-high heat and toast the chilhuacle, mulato, pasilla, and chipotle chiles for 20 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly blistered, taking care not to scorch them bitter.

   2:30 · toast chiles
2. 2

   Place the toasted chiles in a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak until softened.

   20:00 · soak chiles
3. 3

   In the same dry skillet, toast the torn tortilla and bread pieces until deeply browned and almost black at the edges, then set aside.

   5:00 · toast tortilla and bread
4. 4

   Toast the raisins, sesame seeds, almonds, and peanuts separately in the dry skillet, 2 to 3 minutes each, until the sesame seeds are golden and the nuts are fragrant.

   2:00 · toast nuts and seeds
5. 5

   Char the plantain slices, onion quarters, garlic cloves, tomatoes, and tomatillos directly on the comal, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots and softened.

   15:00 · char vegetables
6. 6

   Peel the charred garlic and tomatoes once cool enough to handle.

7. 7

   Toast the peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon stick in the dry skillet for about 1 minute until aromatic.

   1:00 · toast spices
8. 8

   Drain the soaked chiles, reserving the soaking liquid, and transfer the chiles to a blender with the toasted tortilla, bread, raisins, sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts, charred plantain, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and tomatillos.

9. 9

   Add the toasted peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and avocado leaves to the blender and purée with enough reserved chile soaking liquid to form a thick, smooth paste, blending in batches if needed.

10. 10

    Heat the lard in a 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat, then add the mole paste carefully, as it will spatter, and fry it, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes to deepen the flavor.

    10:00 · fry mole paste
11. 11

    Stir in the chicken stock, scraping up any paste stuck to the pot, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

12. 12

    Reduce the heat to low and simmer the mole uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until thickened and deeply flavored.

    1:30:00 · simmer mole
13. 13

    Stir in the chopped chocolate, salt, and sugar, and continue simmering until the chocolate is fully melted and incorporated.

    5:00 · melt chocolate into mole
14. 14

    Taste and adjust salt and sugar as needed; the mole should taste deep, smoky, and only slightly sweet, with no raw chile bitterness.

15. 15

    Ladle the mole over cooked turkey, chicken, or enchiladas, and garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds before serving.