“Mac” Mole Sauce pairs wonderfully with just about anything – roasted chicken with rice and beans, turkey enchiladas, pork tenderloin or pork shoulder… This sauce isn’t beautiful, but it never fails to please.
I’ve been working on this recipe for a long, long time, trying to get the texture and the flavor notes just right. Mole sauce is a traditional sauce in Mexican cuisine, and variations on the theme abound in kitchens throughout Mexico – all good, I’m sure. But my “Mac” Mole Sauce is sublime – smoky, spicy, smooth, and just a bit sweet, as good or better than the moles I’ve had at Mexican restaurants (here in Connecticut).
“Mac” Mole Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 dried Japonés chiles
- 2 dried Guajillo chiles
- 1 serrano pepper
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 cup seedless prunes
- 1 onion
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 t chili powder
- 1 t smoked paprika
- 2 t cumin powder
- 1 T dried oregano
- 1 t cinnamon
- ½ t nutmeg
- ½ t ground cloves
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 T instant coffee
- 1 t sugar
- 1 ½ t salt
- ¼ cup tahini paste
- 2 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate
Instructions
- Mise en place – Break the dried chiles apart and shake out the seeds. Destem and deseed the peppers. Give the chiles, peppers, and prunes a rough chop. Peel and dice the onion. Peel and smash the garlic. Measure out the spices into a small bowl.
- Make the broth – Add the dried chiles to a dry pan over medium high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the chiles are charred and fragrant. Remove the toasted chilis from the pan and set aside. Add 1 T oil to the same pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, the chopped peppers and smashed garlic, and cook until the oniononions soften and become translucent. Stir in 2 t chile powder, 1 t smoked paprika, 2 t cumin powder, 1 T dried oregano, 1 t cinnamon, ¼ t nutmeg and ½ t ground cloves. Pour in the broth, then add the toasted chiles, prunes, and 2 T instant coffee to the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. While the broth is simmering, break the chocolate into small pieces.
- Blend and return to the pot – Carefully add broth to your blender jar and blend until very smooth. Return to the pot you used to simmer the broth.
- Finish – After blending, stir in 1 t sugar, 1 t salt, ¼ cup tahini, and the chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate melts. Adjust seasoning, as necessary.
Please note that this recipe makes a lot of “Mac” Mole Sauce. However, it does freeze well, so if you make it, freeze the leftovers in 2-cup containers so that you’ll have it for future meals. It should hold in the freezer for several months.
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