Mole Poblano Recipe

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1. 1Step 1: Stem the chiles and shake the seeds into a small bowl. Tear the chiles into large pieces and set aside. In a small cast iron skillet over medium heat, toast 4 tablespoons of the reserved chile seeds with the sesame seeds, stirring occasionally, until lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder. Add the aniseed, peppercorns, and cloves to the empty skillet and toast until fragrant, about 1 minute; transfer to the grinder with the seeds. Add the thyme, marjoram, bay leaves, and cinnamon to the grinder and grind everything into a fine powder. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
2. 2Step 2: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat to 350°F (177°C). Working in batches, fry the chiles until slightly darkened, about 20 seconds per batch; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate as each batch finishes. Remove the skillet from heat and reserve. Place the fried chiles in a large bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let steep for 30 minutes. Strain the chiles, reserving the soaking liquid.
3. 3Step 3: Working in 3 batches, place 1/3 of the chiles, 1/3 cup of the soaking liquid, and 1/4 cup of the chicken stock into a blender and purée until as smooth as possible. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain the chile mixture, using a rubber spatula to push through as much as possible. Discard the solids and set the chile purée aside.
4. 4Step 4: Return the skillet with oil to 350°F (177°C) over medium-high heat. One at a time, fry the almonds (about 1 minute), peanuts (45 seconds), pumpkin seeds (20 seconds), and raisins (15 seconds) until toasted, transferring each to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the toasted nuts and raisins to the bowl with the spice mixture.
5. 5Step 5: Fry the bread until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Fry the tortillas until golden brown, about 1 minute per side; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove the skillet from heat. Break the bread and tortillas into small pieces and add to the spice bowl.
6. 6Step 6: Set a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl and strain the oil from the skillet. Place 2 tablespoons of the strained oil in the now-empty skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook until browned, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the onions and garlic to the spice bowl, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.
7. 7Step 7: Return the skillet to medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the tomatillos and tomato. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to the spice bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock to the bowl with the spice mixture.
8. 8Step 8: Working in two batches, purée the spice mixture in the blender until as smooth as possible. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain, using a rubber spatula to push through as much as possible. Discard the solids and set the spice mixture aside.
9. 9Step 9: In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the reserved strained oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chile purée and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spice mixture, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes. Stir in the remaining 4 cups of chicken stock and the chocolate. Simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the sugar and season with salt and additional sugar to taste. Remove from heat and use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.