Mole sauce is one of the greatest things around! I don’t make it very often but with Cinco de Mayo coming up it was the perfect time to make a batch and update my recipe, streamlining it a bit and making it a little easier! The thing about making your own mole sauce is that it takes a bit of time and effort to make, but it’s well worth it!
You start out by toasting some dried chilies and soaking them in water before pureeing them. Next up is roasting the fresh ingredients: tomatoes, tomatillos, onions and garlic to char them, which adds flavour. There are a bunch of nuts and seeds including sesame seeds, pepitas, peanuts and almonds that are toasted and ground along with spices which are also toasted and ground. The star of the show is the Mexican chocolate along with a touch of sugar for sweetness. Everything is pureed into a sauce which is simmered to bring out the flavours and thicken and you are ready to enjoy it!
Mole sauce is velvety smooth, thick and just packed with layer of flavours! You can use mole sauce like a salsa o or in tacos, quesadillas, burritos, etc and it’s great for braising meats in or just pouring over! No matter what you use it on it is sure to delight! Take a look below the recipe for a few recipe ideas to use the mole sauce in!
Mole Sauce
Prep Time:1 hour Cook Time:1 hour Total Time:2 hours Servings: 12
A thick, velvety and tasty chocolate mole sauce that is packed with flavour!
ingredients
- 5 ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed
- 5 guajillo chilies, stems and seeds removed
- 5 pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 pound plum tomatoes
- 1/2 pound tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
- 1 large onion, cut into wedges
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/4 cup peanuts
- 1/4 cup almonds
- 1 tablespoons oil
- 1 ripe plantain (or banana), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 4 cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1 (1 inch) stick of cinnamon
- 3 allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 corn tortilla, torn into small pieces
- 1 (2 ounce) tablet Mexican chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon salt
directions
- Lightly toast the chilies in a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat, cover in just boiled water, along with the raisins and let soak until tender, about 20-30 minutes, before removing from the water, reserving the water.
- Meanwhile, lightly char the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, and garlic under the broiler (or in a heavy bottomed killet over medium-high heat, or on the grill or over direct flame) before setting aside.
- Meanwhile, lightly toast the sesame seeds, pepitas, peanuts and almonds and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add the plantains and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side, and set aside.
- Puree the chilies, raisins, tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, garlic, sesame seeds, pepitas, peanuts, almonds, and plantain in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- Lightly toast the cloves, star anise, cinnamon, allspice, cumin, coriander, and peppercorns in a skillet before ginding in a grinder.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat, add the pureed sauce, ground spices, oregano, tortilla, chocolate, sugar and salt, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the tortilla has disitegrated into the sauce and the sauce thickens a bit, about 10 minutes.
- Optionally, puree in a food processor or blender a second time and strain through a fine mess sieve for a smoother sauce.
Option: Use lard or bacon grease instead of oil.
Option: Add the reserved chili soaking water or chicken, pork, or vegetable broth to thin the sauce out if too thick.
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