Mole Negro

Ingredients

• 6 dried chilhuacle negro (or mulato) chiles, stemmed and seeded, seeds reserved

• 6 dried pasillas negros, stemmed and seeded, seeds reserved

• 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded, seeds reserved

• 4 cups chicken stock

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds

• 1 (2-inch) piece canela (Mexican cinnamon)

• 4 whole cloves

• 2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil

• 6 cloves garlic

• 1 small white onion, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 large tomato, roughly chopped

• 1/2 cup dried plums, pitted

• 1 dinner-roll-sized bolillo, piece of challa, or brioche, torn into pieces

• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• Salt and brown sugar

Instructions

Preheat the grill to high. In a cast-iron skillet set on the grate, cook the reserved chile seeds until blackened. (You’ll want to stand upwind of the grill.)Back inside, bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.

In a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, toast the chiles on both sides until they soften slightly and become aromatic. Transfer the chiles to a medium-sized, heat-safe bowl and add enough hot stock to cover. Keep the chiles submerged with a small plate or saucer.

In the same skillet, toast the sesame seeds, almonds, canela and cloves until the nuts are golden and the spices become aromatic. Transfer the seeds, nuts, and spices to the blender.

Add the onion and the garlic to the dry skillet and cook until the onions char a little and the garlic gathers some golden patches. Add the tomato and dried plums and cook until the tomatoes release their juices and thicken. Transfer the mixture to the blender.

Add the bread, soaked chiles, and about 1/4 cup of the blackened chile seeds to the blender and puree, adding enough stock to make a thick, smooth sauce.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of lard or oil. Add the pureed sauce and fry about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chocolate, stirring until melted; reduce heat and simmer, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and brown sugar.