Recipe - Mole Poblano

ROASTED CHILIES
One half pound Mulato chilies,dried
One fourth pound Ancho chilies,dried
2 ounce Pasilla chilies,dried
1 Chipotle chili,dried

ROASTED VEGETABLES
2 Onions,large,quartered
1 Tomato,mediumsize
One half pound Tomatillos,husked/rinsed
1 Garlic head,medium*
2 Corn tortillas (7")

SEASONINGS & THICKENERS
One half cup Sesame seed
2 tablespoon Salad oil
1 Plantain,sm,peeled/chopped
One half cup Dryroasted almonds
One half cup Peanuts
One half cup Prunes,pitted,chopped
1/3 cup Raisins
2 Cinnamon sticks,2" long
1 teaspoon Coriander seed
1 teaspoon Anise seed

ASSEMBLING THE MOLE
2 cup Chicken broth,reg strength
4 ounce Mexican chocolate**

* cut in half horizontally

** or 4 oz. semisweet chocolate and One half teaspoon ground cinnamon

***ROASTING THE CHILIES ***

1. Lay dried mulato, ancho, pasilla, and chipotle chilies in a single layer
in 10x15" pans. Bake in a 300'F. oven until chilies smell lightly toasted
and are flexible, 58 minutes. While they are still warm, discard stems and
shake out seeds.

2. Rinse chilies and put in a large bowl; add 8 cups boiling water. Let
stand until soft, 2030 minutes. Drain; save liquid. Smoothly puree
chilies, a portion at a time, in food processor or blender. Add a total 2
cups reserved liquid. (In processor, use a little liquid to get mixture
moving; add rest when pureed.) Rub firmly through fine strainer into a
bowl; discard residue. Use, or chill airtight up to 1 day.

*** ROASTING THE VEGETABLES ***

1. In a 10x15" pan, combine onions, tomato, tomatillos, garlic (cut side
down), and tortillas. Bake in a 450'F. oven, turning occasionally, until
the vegetables and tortillas have dark brown spots or edges. Let cool. Pull
off vegetable skins and discard.

2. Smoothly puree mixture in a food processor or blender; add a total of 1
cup reserved chilisoaking liquid, from step 1. (In processor, use a little
liquid to get mixture moving; add rest when pureed.) Rub firmly through
fine strainer into a bowl; discard residue. Use, or chill airtight up to 1
day.

*** COOKING THE SEASONINGS AND THICKENERS ***

1. In a 10x12" frying pan over medium heat, stir sesame seed until toasted,
about 4 minutes; set aside.

2. To pan, add oil, plantain, almonds, peanuts, prunes, raisins, cinnamon,
coriander, and anise. Stir often over medium heat until mixture is richly
browned, 1015 minutes. Smoothly puree mixture and sesame seed in a food
processor or blender. Add remaining chilisoaking liquid, from step 1. (In
processor, use a little to get moving; add rest when pureed.) Use, or chill
airtight up to 1 day.

*** ASSEMBLING THE MOLE ***

1. In a 56 quart pan, mix chilies, vegetables, seasonings and thickeners,
and broth. Bring to a simmer on medium heat; cover and simmer to blend
flavors, about 2 hours, stirring often.

2. Chop chocolate; mix with sauce until melted. Use mole as suggested,
following; or chill airtight up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini