See Also: Cooking Club · Main Dishes · Mexico
Chicken Mole
From Dorothy McNett's recipes at www.dorothymcnett.com. This recipe is "do-able" in a reasonable amount of time, unlike the many hours or days it used to take. Use chicken, or even pork or a combination of turkey and pork. Serve with green salad and warmed flour tortillas.
3-4 pounds chicken, or turkey, or use already cooked pork
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 - 3 cups water
3/4 cup whole or slivered raw almonds
3 ancho, Anaheim, poblano or pasilla chilies
1 - 2 jalapeno chilies
1 medium white or yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
2 - 3 medium tomatoes (romas are good)
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 large flour tortilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 - 2 cups turkey, chicken or vegetable stock
4 tablespoons lard (vegetable oil will work)
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
snipped chives, sesame seeds, and diced red sweet peppers for garnish
warmed flour tortillas for serving, usually torn into finger size pieces
First cook the chicken in a deep soup pot with salt, oregano and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for about 45-60 minutes. Then set the chicken (or turkey) aside, saving the stock for the sauce.
While chicken is cooking, roast the chilies. Wash them, dry them, and place on open gas burner. Using kitchen tongs, turn them often and when they get charred (usually only 2 minutes or so) set them aside on a plate to cool. When cool, peel and remove the seeds and membrane. To make the sauce, use a food processor or a blender. With motor running drop in the almonds to mince them finely, and then add the chilies, onion, garlic, tomatoes, raisins, sesame seeds, torn up tortilla, spices and salt. Puree, getting it as smooth as possible adding the stock. Do this in batches if needed, dumping it into a bowl as you go. The sauce should be as smooth as possible, and some people will actually strain this or force it through a sieve. You decide! It should be like a thick gravy consistency.
Heat the lard or oil in a heavy bottomed saute pan until nice and hot, but not smoking. Carefully add the mole to the pan. Reduce heat to simmer, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Add the chocolate to melt it, blending in well. Remove from heat. Taste for seasonings...may need more salt, or a little sugar or honey to tame it a little.....
Cut the cooked chicken or turkey into serving sized pieces and nestle them into the mole. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes. This also can be done in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. Garnish and serve with warmed flour tortillas.
Recipe created 2007-05-02.
