Mole Negro
Oaxaca, Mexico
The most complex and revered of Oaxaca's seven moles, mole negro requires over 30 ingredients and days of preparation. Charred chilhuacle negro chilies give it a distinctive near-black color, while chocolate, plantain, and burnt tortillas add depth. It's traditionally served at weddings and Day of the Dead celebrations over turkey, its layers of flavor unfolding with every bite — smoky, bitter, sweet, and earthy all at once.
Ingredients
- 6 piecesmulato chiles (dried)
- 4 piecespasilla chiles (dried)
- 100 gmexican chocolate (Ibarra/Abuelita)
- 0.5 pieceplantain (fried)
- 1 slicewhite bread (bolillo/toasted)
- 0.25 cupsesame seeds (toasted)
- 0.25 cupalmonds
- 1 piececinnamon stick (mexican)
- 1.5 lchicken stock
- 3 tbsplard
Directions
- 1
Remove seeds from chiles and fry the seeds in a pan until completely charred and black; soak the seeds in water to remove bitterness.
- 2
Toast the chiles lightly, then soak in hot water until soft; blend with the charred seeds.
- 3
Sauté onions, garlic, raisins, almonds, and plantains in lard until golden; blend with spices and bread to create a thick paste.
- 4
Fry the combined pastes in a large pot with lard until fragrant and darkened.
- 5
Slowly whisk in chicken stock and the chocolate, simmering until the sauce reaches a velvet-thick consistency.
- 6
Serve over poached turkey or chicken with a garnish of sesame seeds.