Guelaguetza Restaurante’s Mole Negro

This authentic 25-plus ingredient sauce was featured in our Talking Taste video series, Episode 3: Tasty Combinations.

Serves 20

Ingredients

• 1 chicken
• 2 onions, roasted
• 1 garlic clove, divided
• 2 hoja santa leaves
• 250 grams chilhuacle chiles
• 250 grams mulato chiles
• 250 grams ancho chiles
• 250 grams Mexican pasilla chiles
• 1 cup vegetable oil, divided
• 2 plantains, peeled and sliced
• 300 grams pan de yema (bread)
• 100 grams sesame seeds
• 150 grams almonds
• 100 grams squash seeds
• 100 grams raisins
• 2 teaspoons Oaxacan oregano
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon anise
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• Dash of cumin
• 1 kilogram red tomatoes
• 500 grams green tomatillos
• 250 grams Oaxacan chocolate
• 100 grams sugar
• 1 nutmeg, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add 1 onion and 1⁄2 garlic clove and slowly bring to a boil. Add hoja santa leaves after the stew has simmered.

1. Seed all the chilies and place them on a griddle over low heat. Smoke the chilies until they are crispy and turn dark brown, almost black. Rinse the chilies in hot water. Place them a in a bowl of cold water and let them soak for 30 minutes.
2. Grind the chilies and set aside.
3. Heat a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add 1⁄2 cup of vegetable oil until it shimmers. Add the second onion, remaining ½ garlic clove, sliced plantains, pan de yema bread, sesame seeds, almonds and raisins until ingredients are golden brown. Add oregano, thyme, marjoram, cinnamon, anise, cloves, allspice and cumin to the mix.
4. Grind all the fried spices and set aside.
5. In a separate pot, heat the red tomatoes and green tomatillos over medium heat until skin is loosened and juices begin to boil. Stir constantly.
6. Place the Oaxacan chocolate in a small pot and cover with water. Stir until the chocolate fully dissolves and it comes to a boil.
7. In a large skillet over medium‐high heat, heat the rest of the vegetable oil until it shimmers. Add the ground spices and stir for 10 minutes. Add chilies and stir 10 more minutes. Add the broiled tomatoes and stir for 5 minutes. Once the mixture comes to a full boil, add the boiled Oaxacan chocolate, sugar and nutmeg, and stir for 5 more minutes. Strain the chicken broth and slowly add it to the mole sauce along with the chicken.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Allow the mole to boil for 15 more minutes and stir constantly. Enjoy!