A variety of chilies can be used in .
A national dish of Mexico, mole (pronounced "mole-lay") is a blend of spices, chilies and chocolate blended into a smooth, creamy sauce. "As far as I am concerned, it is one of the handful of classic sauces from around the world," says chef and writer Rich Sandoval, author of "Modern Mexican Flavors." The sauce itself is vegan when made with vegetable instead of chicken broth. From there, the only other considerations are what to serve it over and tweak the recipe to match each cook's culinary ideal.
Instructions
1. Roast the chilies in a roasting pan in a 400-degree oven until the skins begin to blister. Cool and carefully remove the skins and seeds from the chilies. Put the skinned chilies aside for later use.
2. Chop the tomatoes, place them in the skillet and begin to heat on a low flame. Add the tomatillo sauce and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, remove the tomatoes from the skillet and set aside to cool.
3. Add approximately 1 Tbs. of vegetable oil to the skillet and turn the heat on low. Put the spices, nuts and raisins into the pan and stir, coating the entire mixture with oil. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Fry the roasted chilies in a separate skillet with a little oil for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spices, nuts and raisins and heat thoroughly on a low to medium temperature. Add the chocolate and cook until it melts. Pour in 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth, and stir all ingredients together.
5. Spoon the mixture into the food processor. Be careful not to overfill and blend small batches at a time if needed. Puree until the sauce is smooth, adding a little broth if necessary. Use an immersion blender directly in the skillet as an alternative.
6. Put the mole sauce into a saucepan and cook over low to medium heat, stirring often to prevent burning. Use as much vegetable broth as needed to create the desired consistency.
Tags: mole sauce, nuts raisins, spices nuts, spices nuts raisins, vegetable broth