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Pork mole

Get:
  • 12 dried ancho chiles
  • 12 dried guajillo chiles
  • 6 dried pasilla chiles 334g total
  • 4 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon whole aniseed
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 3 dried bay leaves, crumbled
  • 1 (1 1/2-inch) stick cinnamon, broken into pieces
  • 2 cups canola oil
  • 2 quarts chicken stock
  • 1/2cup skin-on almonds
  • 1/2 cup raw shelled peanuts (im doing cashews!)
  • 1/3 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 2 slices white bread
  • 2 stale corn tortillas
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup, ~350g)
  • 10 medium cloves garlic, minced (50g)
  • 2 large tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered (221g)
  • 1 large tomato, quartered (216g)
  • 1 cup finely chopped Mexican chocolate
  • 4 tablespoons sugar, plus more to taste
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 3lbs chicken drumsticks (for the chicken stock)

Do:
  • Make the chicken stock:
    • brown 3lbs chicken drumsticks in dutch oven
    • add 1tbsp salt
    • add 1 chopped yellow onion
    • add filtered water to cover, about 1.5Q
    • bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover
    • simmer 2+ hours, strain
  • Meez:
    • Measure all the spices
    • Stem chiles and shake seeds into a small bowl. Tear chiles into large pieces; set aside.
    • Crush the bay leaves
    • Crush the cinnamon sticks
    • Crush the chocolate
    • Mince the onion
    • Mince the garlic
    • Husk, rinse, and quarter the tomatillos
    • Chop the tomato
  • Dry toast the seeds and spices:
      1. Place 4 tablespoons of reserved chile seeds and sesame seeds in a small cast iron skillet set over medium heat.
      2. Toast chili and sesame seeds, stirring occasionally, until lightly brown, about 2 minutes.
      3. Set aside
      4. Add aniseed, peppercorns, and cloves to now empty skillet.
      5. Toast until fragrant, about 1 minute
      6. Set aside
    • Fry the chilis in oil:
      1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat to 350°F.
      2. Working in batches, fry chilies until slightly darkened, about 20 seconds per batch
      3. Transfer chilies to paper towel lined plate as each batch is finished.
      4. Remove skillet from heat and reserve the oil.
      5. Transfer chilies to a large bowl and add boiling water to cover.
      6. Let steep for 30 minutes.
      7. Strain chiles, reserving soaking liquid.
      8. Set aside.
    • Fry the nuts and raisins in the chili oil:
      1. Return skillet with oil to 350°F over medium-high heat.
      2. Fry 1/2c almonds for 60 seconds, reserve to towel-lined plate
      3. Fry 1/2c cashews for 45 seconds, reserve to towel-lined plate
      4. Fry 1/3c pumpkin seeds for 20 seconds, reserve to towel-lined plate
      5. Fry 1/3c raisins for 15 seconds, reserve to towel lined plate
      6. Set aside
    • Fry the tortillas in the chili oil:
      1. Fry bread until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side; transfer to paper towel lined plate.
      2. Fry tortillas until golden brown, about 1 minute per side; transfer to paper towel lined plate.
      3. Remove skillet from heat. Break bread and tortillas into small pieces.
      4. Set aside
    • Fry the onions and garlic in the chili oil:
      1. Set fine mesh strainer over small bowl and strain oil from skillet.
      2. Place 2 tablespoons of strained oil to now empty skillet.
      3. Heat over medium-high heat until shimmering.
      4. Add in onions and cook until browned, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
      5. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
      6. Set aside, leaving as much oil in pan as possible.
    • Fry the tomatillos and tomato in the chili oil:
      1. Return skillet to medium-high heat.
      2. When oil is shimmering, add in tomatillos and tomatoes.
      3. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
      4. Set aside.
    • Make the spice powder:
      1. Transfer toasted sesame seeds, chili seeds, aniseed, peppercorns, and cloves to a spice grinder.
      2. Add thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, and cinnamon to the spice grinder.
      3. Grind all seeds and spices into a fine powder.
      4. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
    • Blend all the spices and solids:
      1. Transfer spice powder to a large bowl.
      2. Transfer almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and raisins to the bowl.
      3. Transfer the tortillas and bread to the bowl.
      4. Transfer onions and garlic to the bowl.
      5. Transfer tomatillos and tomato to the bowl.
      6. Add 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock to the bowl.
      7. Working in batches, purée the mixture in blender until as smooth as possible.
      8. Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain spice mixture, using a rubber spatula to push through as much spice mixture as possible.
      9. Discard solids and set mixture aside.
    • Make the chili purée and fry it:
      1. Blend the chilies, 1 cup soaking liquid, and 3/4 cup chicken stock until as smooth as possible.
      2. Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain chile mixture, using a rubber spatula to push through as much chile mixture as possible.
      3. Discard solids.
      4. In a large dutch oven or pot, heat 3 tablespoons of reserved chili strained oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
      5. Add the strained chile purée and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened to consistency of tomato paste, about 10 minutes.
    • Final combine:
      1. Stir in spice mixture, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes.
      2. Stir in 4 cups chicken stock and the chocolate.
      3. Simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
      4. Stir in sugar and season mole with salt and additional sugar to taste.
      5. Remove from heat, use immediately or transfer to airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to a month.

    Results:
    • THIS RECIPE MADE WAY TOO MUCH. Each person will want like a couple tablespoons, not multiple cups.
    • The frying steps are REAL deep frying! Look at how much oil they call for. I tried to get away with just sautéeing and that's clearly not what they had in mind.
    • The flavor of the chilis is VERY bitter. I assume I burned them during the frying. I'm not sure that's really better...
    • The fried/toasted nuts and so on does have a nice flavor. I would do that again.
    • I taste a little too much anise and clove. Maybe it will simmer down.
    • I feel pretty convinced that you could just dump everything into a big pot at the end and then immursion-blend it into submission. Griding the spices might be good but nothing else is. All the blending and straining steps aren't necessary if you don't mind a "rustic" mole.
    • I ended up making much less chicken stock than it wants, but still came out okay (or maybe even a little too liquidy?) 
    • For next time:
      • Dry roast or sautée but not deep fry most of the stuff.
      • Still grind the dry spices
      • Don't pre-blend the peppers, its almost certainly fine to immersion-blend it all at the end.
      • Make more than 2 quarts of chicken stock i guess



    References: