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Mole Poblano with Chicken
Mole, pronounced (MOH-lay) is from the Nahuatl molli , meaning
"concoction, or mixture". Red mole is from central Mexico in the Puebla
and Oaxaca regions, also know as the Land of Seven Moles. Other mole colors include
brown, black, green, and yellow. This red mole is a rich, dark, reddish-brown sauce
usually served with poultry. Generally, mole is a smooth sauce blended of onion, garlic,
several varieties of chilies, ground seeds and a small amount of chocolate. It is
important to note that not all moles contain chocolate. The traditional mole is usually
served over turkey.
I N G R E D I E N T S
1 (4 - 5) pound chicken, cut up in at least 6 - 8 pieces.
4 dried pasilla chilies
4 dried mulato chilies
6 dried ancho chilies
or 14 dried ancho chilies.
2 cups boiling chicken stock, fresh or canned
3/4 cup blanched almonds
I cup coarsely chopped onions
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, or I cup drained, canned
Italian plum tomatoes
1/2 cup lightly packed seedless raisins
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
I tortilla, broken in small pieces
I teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground
canela cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons lard
2 cups cold chicken stock, fresh or canned
11/2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
I N S T R U C T I O N S
NOTE:
Review the instructions
for handling of chilies before you begin this recipe.
Heat 4 tablespoons lard in 12" - heavy skillet
over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and
cook until brown on all sides, about 12 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low
and continue to cook until almost cooked through approximately 20 - 25 min. Remove
chicken and drain on paper towels. Set aside. Drain any excess lard from pan, do not rinse
pan.
While the chicken is
cooking, prepare the mole (sauce). Prepare the chilies using the method
described. In a large bowl, pour 2 cups boiling chicken stock over the prepared
chilies and soak them for about 30 minutes.
Blend the almonds in the
jar of an electric blender until they are completely pulverized. Force the nuts through a
sieve and return them to the blender with the chilies, their soaking liquid, the onions,
tomatoes, raisins, 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, tortilla, garlic, cinnamon, cloves,
coriander, anise seeds, salt and-pepper, and blend at high speed until the mixture is
reduced to a smooth puree.
Alternative - Make Sauce By Hand
To make the sauce by hand, put the chilies,
onions, tomatoes, tortilla and garlic through a food mill set over a large bowl and
discard any pulp remaining in the mill. With a pestle, pound the almonds, sesame seeds and
anise seeds in a mortar until they are pulverized, force them through a sieve, then stir
the mixture into the chili puree. Stir in the chilies' soaking liquid and add the
cinnamon, cloves, coriander, salt and pepper.
Preparation Continued
In a heavy 10 - inch skillet,
melt 2 tablespoons of the lard over moderate heat. Pour in the mole and simmer it,
stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Add the cold stock and the chocolate. Cook,
uncovered, over low heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate has melted. Cover the
skillet and set it aside off the heat. Using the skillet the chicken was cooked in,
return the chicken to the skillet. Pour the mole sauce over the chicken, turning
the pieces about in the sauce to coat them evenly. Cover the skillet and simmer over low
heat for about 30 minutes, basting the chicken now and then with the sauce.
To serve, arrange the
pieces of chicken on a heated platter and pour the sauce over them. Sprinkle the top with
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds.
Makes 6 - 8 servings
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| Adapted from Foods of The World, 1968 |
Resources
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Tips & Substitutions
Turkey
Substitute these instructions if you'd like to make the recipe using turkey instead of
chicken.
1 (8-9) pound turkey, disjointed and cut into 8 pieces.
Place the turkey in an 4 to 5 quart heavy flame proof casserole. Add a teaspoon of salt
and enough water to cover completely. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low
and simmer covered for an hour. Set aside off the heat.
Continue main recipe. Once the sauce has been cooked (chicken stock and chocolate
added, chocolate melted) remove the sauce from the heat and cover.
Remove turkey from the casserole and drain on paper towels. Pat dry. Heat 4
tablespoons of lard in a 12" heavy skillet and brown turkey pieces evenly, turning
frequently. Drain the fat from the skillet and continue with the main recipe to complete.
Lard
Lard is the traditional fat to use for cooking this dish. High quality lard adds a
nice flavor to the sauce, however, you can substitute vegetable shortening if you wish.
It was just announced this year (January, 2004) that
studies are showing that lard is more healthful than hydrogenated vegetable
shorting. The vegetable shortening contains cancer causing trans-fatty
acids not found in lard. Use freshly rendered lard. Make sure to buy
from a source with high turn over.
Working With Hot Chilies
Make sure to wear rubber
gloves when handling dried or fresh chilies. Be very careful not to touch your eyes
or face after touching the chilies. Keeping the chilies under running water while you work
keeps the fumes from getting in your eyes.
This is a good use for disposable gloves. (Do not use gloves with Talc). And do be
sure to wash your hands carefully with soap and water after handling fresh or dried
chilies.
Prepare Dried Chilies
Rinse the chilies under running cool water. Continue to let the water run over the
chili as you work. Break the chili in half and pull out the stem and rinse away the
seeds. Cut or tear away the ribs.
Once the chilies are cleaned, tear them into pieces and place in a large bowl.
More
Information
View Pictures of Chilies for this recipe
GourmetSleuth - Chile Pepper Heat
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