Recipe Junction

Our Favorite Recipes'

Mole Poblano Sauce

Mole Poblano is the sauce of love

Blame it on Montezuma. The idea of chocolate being linked to eroticism began with the Aztec king. He reportedly drank several cups of unsweetened hot chocolate a day to enhance his libido.

Women in the kingdom were banned from drinking the beverage because the king thought it might get them too excited.

When chocolate was taken to Spain, the Catholic Church immediately banned the substance because of rumors that it could lead to sexual immorality. Of course, the ban immediately guaranteed a huge demand for chocolate. It has been the food of romance ever since.

This year about 4 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates will be sold in the United States. More chocolate is consumed on Valentine's Day than any other day of the year. In years past, milk chocolate was the choice of Americans, but news about the health benefits of dark chocolate has dramatically increased dark chocolate sales.

Today's recipe is not about sweet chocolate. Mole Poblano is a savory sauce for chicken or turkey that originated at least three centuries ago in Puebla, Mexico. The dark color comes not from chocolate but from chiles negros. Ancho chiles, Mexican chocolate and canned chipotle chiles en adobo are available in the Mexican food section of most supermarkets. You may have to go to a specialty Mexican market to get the chiles negros.

If you think 20 ingredients is a lot for one sauce, I want you to know that the first time I made mole, it was from a recipe that called for 37 ingredients. The shopping took far longer than the cooking time.

Mole Poblano Sauce

Makes about 2 to 3 cups, enough for 1 chicken

• 4 dried ancho chiles
• 4 dried chiles negros
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth (more or less)
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
• 2 chipotle chiles en adobo with 1 tablespoon sauce
• 1 ounce Mexican chocolate
• 1 small corn tortilla, torn into pieces
• 1 small apple, cored and chopped
• 1/3 cup raisins

Make a lengthwise cut in the ancho and negro chiles. Remove seeds and stems. Place in a saucepan and add just enough water to cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chiles are tender. Lift from water and set aside.

Heat oil in a large saucepan. When oil is hot, add onions, almonds, peanut butter, sesame seeds, garlic, cinnamon, oregano, salt, cloves and black pepper, and saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cooked chiles and all of the remaining ingredients, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan. If necessary, add water to thin. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Sauce may be stored in the refrigerator for 1 week. To serve, heat the sauce and toss with pieces of stewed or roasted chicken.

Prior | Submit your recipe | Next

Add to Your Social Bookmarks: Del.icio.us Digg Furl Reddit Simpy Spurl Y! MyWeb - StumbleUpon