Set aside several hours to complete all the various components of Oz’s mole the first time. After a couple of batches, you will get the hang of how to cook the various ingredients at the same time. This mole is quite spicy - to cut down on the heat a little, remove the seeds from the fresh chiles. It will still be spicy though! Oz’s mole is great as a sauce for enchiladas, or serve it over pork or chicken.
Ingredients
- ½ pound plantains with black or dark skins
- ¼ pound Roma tomatoes
- ⅛ cup garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 ounce Fresno chiles, stems removed; seeds removed if you prefer less heat
- 1 ounce jalapeno chiles, stems removed; seeds removed if you prefer less heat
- 1 ounce whole blanched almonds
- ⅓ pound blanched peanuts
- 2 ounce pepitas
- 1 ounce walnuts, *optional (see note below)
- ½ cup crushed tortilla chips
- 2 cups dark beer (I used Boatswain Chocolate Stout from Trader Joe’s)
- 4 ounces piloncillo (available in Pancho Villa or Northgate supermarkets)
- ⅛ cup cocoa nibs
- To add to the third pot
- 1 ounce dried Morita chiles
- 1 ounce dried Ancho chiles
- 1 ounce dried Mulato chiles
- 1 ounce dried Negro chiles
- 1 ounce dried Pasilla chiles
- 2 ounces pitted prunes
- 2 ounces raisins
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ⅛ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon walnut oil (Note: 1 ounce of chopped walnuts can be substituted if you do not have walnut oil in your pantry. Cook with other nuts in step 1.)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
Rubber gloves (for cleaning chiles)
Food processor
Blender
Mesh strainer (the bigger the better)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat ½ gallon of water in a 5 quart saucepan (Pot #1). Heat a large skillet on high heat; when it is quite hot, toast the almonds, peanuts, pepitas (*and walnuts if using), stirring constantly, until the nuts begin to turn brown and release oils, about 5 minutes. Add to the pot of water and gently boil the nuts until soft (about one hour.) When the nuts are soft, toast the crushed tortilla chips in a hot skillet and add to pot #1. Remove from heat.
In a saucepan (Pot #2), heat beer and piloncillo until piloncillo is dissolved. Add cocoa nibs and simmer until soft, about 45 minutes. The beer should be reduced by half.
Wearing rubber gloves, clean all the dried chiles by slicing down one side and removing seeds and stems. Heat ½ gallon of water in a 6 quart or larger saucepan (Pot #3). Heat a large skillet or cookie sheet placed on top of stove over medium high heat. Working quickly with tongs, dry roast all chiles on each side, then transfer to the saucepan of water. You just want to release the oil and flavor of the chiles, about 30 seconds per side.
After the chiles are done, pan-roast the raisins and prunes, stirring, for two minutes to release their oils and add to the same pot. Cook the mixture until soft, about 45 minutes.
Get your veggies roasted—place the tomatoes, garlic, Fresno chiles and jalapeno chiles on a baking sheet. Wrap the plantains in foil, place next to vegetables. Roast everything, turning occasionally, until charred, keeping an eye on the individual ingredients (especially garlic) to ensure they don’t burn. Remove charred vegetables from the oven and add to the saucepan with the chiles. The plantains will steam in the foil, and depending on the ripeness of the plantain you should cook 30-60 minutes until the plantains are soft and slightly mushy.
In a blender, combine beer mixture and pour through a mesh strainer into a large bowl. Using a food processor, puree the nut mixture (including the liquid). Place the mesh strainer over a large baking dish or large bowl. Working in batches with a wooden or metal spoon, press as much of the mixture through the strainer as you can. Transfer the puree to the bowl with the beer mixture and discard the solids left in the strainer. In the same food processor, puree the chile and vegetable mixture. Wipe out the stockpot and return to the stove. Press as much of the mixture through the mesh strainer as you can, into a bowl or baking dish, add the puree to the beer and nut mixtures, and discard the solids left in the strainer.
Transfer the strained purees to the stockpot, stir to blend and mix in the spices, salt, cocoa powder and oils. Simmer mole over low heat for two hours. Makes about 10 cups.
Crockpot mole paste
Oz reduces some of his mole sauce into a paste that can be stored for longer periods of time. To make it in a crock pot, add a couple of cups of your sauce to a crockpot. With lid ajar, simmer on low heat for 24 hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce should eventually reduce down to a fudgelike paste. Store the paste in foil wrapped logs. To reconstitute mole paste, mix one part paste with two parts liquid (water, broth or beer) and reheat. Enjoy!
