Chocolate Mole

I wanted chocolate for Valentine’s day. Lots of chocolate. And I didn't care how I got it. I know it’s past Valentine’s Day for this year, but this is the menu that I fixed:

* Grilled chicken breasts smothered in Chocolate Mole

* Steamed asparagus with a balsamic vinegar reduction with grated semisweet chocolate

* Chocolate chile molten cakes (for the recipe, go to:

http://kim-cheyennefood.blogspot.com/2011/12/thanksgiving-desserts.html

For those of you that aren't familiar with the term “mole” (pronounced molé), this is what it says in Wikipedia: Moles come in various flavors and ingredients, with chili peppers as the common factor. However, the classic mole version is the variety called mole poblano [poblano is another name for ancho], which is a dark red or brown sauce served over meat. The dish has become a culinary symbol of Mexico’s mestizaje, or mixed indigenous and European heritage, both for the types of ingredients it contains as well as the legends surrounding its origin.

I also read that making traditional mole takes at least a day and all the female members of the family to prepare it. Wow! Not at this house! This Chocolate Mole takes about an hour and has a wonderfully complex flavor that compliments the mildness of the chicken. It’s not hot spicy at all even though the beginning ingredient is ancho chilies. I found the recipe on the NPR website.

From NPR: This recipe is adapted from The Sweet Life in Paris (Broadway Books, 2009) by David Leibovitz. The sauce is complicated, but for your trouble, you'll be rewarded with a deep, complex flavor. I like to put this on grilled chicken, though it works well on a variety of entrees.

Chocolate Mole is served over grilled chicken. But it's also commonly paired with pork. <!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->

Here, Chocolate Mole is served over grilled chicken. But it's also commonly paired with pork

Peter Ogburn for NPR

Makes enough to smother a cooked chicken or a pork shoulder

Chocolate Mole

5 dried ancho chilies (you can get these at the store in the Mexican food section or sometimes in the produce section. I get mine from Penzey’s Spices – see the link on the right)

1 small onion, chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon each: cinnamon, ground cloves, dried oregano, powdered cumin, ground coriander, ground anise seeds

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1-2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup raisins or diced prunes

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (I toasted them in the same pan I used to cook the onion, etc. Do NOT let them get too brown – just a delicate gold color.)

3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper

1 cup water (or more, as needed)

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted (I used a good quality chocolate)

Soak chilies in very hot water until soft, about 30 minutes. (Make sure they're submerged by setting a lightweight bowl on top of the chilies.)

In a small skillet, sauté onion in vegetable oil until soft and translucent. 

Add garlic and sauté another minute. Add dried spices and herbs and cook, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds, being careful not to let them burn.

In a blender, grind together the almonds, cooked onions, tomatoes, spices, raisins or prunes, sesame seeds, 

Toast until light golden

salt, pepper and water. Puree until smooth.

Remove seeds and stems from the chilies and puree very fine, passing the chilies through a food mill. (If you don't have a food mill, press the puree through a mesh strainer to remove any skins. Some people just puree them, but they can be tough. [Yeah, I just pureed them. I didn't notice that it made any difference]) 

Blend the chili paste into the mole along with the melted chocolate and add additional water, as necessary, 

until the consistency is smooth and slightly pourable (I could have made it more pourable).

Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This made a lot – enough for four separate dinners. We had it on grilled pork chops the next night. Fabulous!

This truly is one of the best moles I've ever tried – it is so worth the time! I started just eating it like applesauce, but decided to save some for Walt.