Mole Poblano
- 8 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, cut open with scissors and seeded
- 8 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, cut open with scissors and seeded
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 3 red-ripe plum tomatoes
- 1 white onion, unpeeled and quartered
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated and unpeeled
- 4 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 3 soft, black-ripe plantains, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
- 1/2 cup shelled peanuts
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1 Tbs. anise or fennel seeds
- 1 Mexican chocolate tablet, such as Ibarra or Abuelita brands, chopped
- 1 Tbs. ground canela (Mexican cinnamon)
- 2 tsp. kosher or sea salt
- Heat large, ungreased skillet, and, over medium-high heat, toast chiles in batches.
- Flatten chiles with spatula, and cook until chiles change color and release aromas.
- Remove from heat, and place in bowl of hot water.
- Add raisins to water, and reconstitute for 30 minutes or up to several hours.
- Drain, and place in large bowl.
- Roast tomatoes, unpeeled onion and unpeeled garlic cloves until covered with black spots.
- Remove from heat, and, when cool enough to handle, peel and cut off stem ends.
- Place tomatoes, onion and garlic into bowl of drained chiles.
- Place 2 tablespoons oil in skillet, and heat to medium-high heat.
- Fry plantains to golden brown, remove from heat and add to chiles.
- In hot ungreased skillet, toast peanuts and seeds separately as each takes different amounts of time to brown and release aromas.
- Combine peanuts and seeds with chiles.
- Spoon chile-nut mixture into blender until blender is half full.
- Add enough water to facilitate blending, and puree.
- Pour mixture into bowl, and continue pureeing and adding extra water until chile-nut mixture is used up.
- Sauce will be textured.
- With wooden spoon, push through strainer into separate bowl, discarding bits of chile skin.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over high heat in deep saucepan.
- Pour in puree, taking care to avoid splatters, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low, add chopped chocolate tablet, canela and salt, and cook for 1 hour.
- When sauce has reduced slightly and thickened to consistency of heavy cream, remove from heat and use immediately, or cool and refrigerate for up to two days.
- Freeze any leftover servings.
ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, raisins, tomatoes, white onion, garlic, vegetable oil, plantains, peanuts, sesame seeds, anise, chocolate, ground canela, kosher
Taken from www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/mole-poblano/ (may not work)