-Mole Negro de Oaxaca

Suggested Wine Pairing: Ceja Carneros Pinot Noir, Ceja Carneros Merlot and Ceja Vino de Casa Red Blend

Ingredients:

• 24 uncooked chicken pieces (legs, thighs, or chicken breasts cut in half)
• 10 chiles negros
• 10 chiles guajillo
• 10 chiles pasilla
• 2 toasted tortillas
• 2½ round tablets of Mexican chocolate (e.g. Ibarra brand)
• 4 tomatoes
• 10 peeled tomatillos
• 1½ onion
• 2 heads of garlic
• 2 tablespoons peeled pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons unsalted peanuts
• 2 tablespoons walnuts
• 2 tablespoons peeled almonds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• ¼ teaspoon marjoram
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1teaspoon anise
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 6 whole pepper corns
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 peel of cinnamon stick
• One slice of Mexican sweet bread
• Chicken broth (about 10 cups)
• Salt to taste
• 10 tablespoons manteca (lard) OR extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

For Chicken

• To a large pot of gently boiling water, add the washed chicken pieces, one onion, one unpeeled garlic head and one tablespoon of salt.
• As chicken cooks, spoon out foam and cooked blood that accumulate on the surface (you want to end with a clear and delicious broth).
• Boil gently until tender-do not overcook. Separate chicken from broth and discard onion and garlic head.

For Mole:

• Cut the stems off the chiles negros, guajillo and pasilla and take out the seeds (save the seeds). Wash the chiles and pat dry with a towel.
• In a pan with 3 tablespoons olive oil, sauté chiles a few at a time until crispy but not burned-set aside.
• Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil and sauté pumpkin seeds, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, chile seeds and one layer of the cinnamon stick until golden-set aside.
• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté Mexican chocolate until softened-set aside.
• Toast slice of Mexican pan dulce-set aside.
• Over a grill, toast the tortillas until golden.
• Mix together all the sautéed ingredients, toasted tortillas, Mexican bread, marjoram, oregano, thyme, anise, cumin, whole peppers and cloves.
• In a blender or food processor, process the above mixture a little at a time with chicken broth (about 6 cups) until smooth-set aside.
• Over a grill, fire roast tomatoes, tomatillos, ½ onion and 1 head of unpeeled garlic until blackened but not burned.
• Process fire roasted ingredients with 2 cups chicken broth until smooth.
• To a heated large pan with 4 tablespoons of olive oil, add the tomatoes mixture and simmer for about 15 minutes-stir frequently.
• Add processed sautéed mixture to simmering mixture and continue simmering gently (add broth to desired thickness of mole sauce)-stir continuously for one hour. (Serves 12)

To Serve:
Distribute mole sauce on plate and place two chicken pieces on it. Add mole sauce across chicken pieces and serve with warm corn tortillas. ¡Salud!

Note: Most ingredients can be purchased at any Latino market.