Black Bean Mole
 Serves |  Total Time |
|---|---|
| 4 cups | 1.12 hours |
Ingredients
some canola oil
1 very ripe plantain
5 tomatillos
1 onion- 1 Roma or plum tomato
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 small cinnamon stick
1 clove- 0.25 tsp cumin seeds
2 dried pasilla chiles- 1 dried New Mexico chiles
- 1 dried ancho chiles
- 1 tsp fresh oregano leaves
0.25 oz disk stone-ground Mexican dark chocolate- 2 cups black beans
- some salt
some water
Cookware
- 1 Dutch oven
- 1 plate
- 1 paper towels
- 1 large cast-iron pan
- 1 high-speed blender
- 1 fine-mesh strainer
- 1 large pot
- 1 sealed container
Instructions
Step 1
In a Dutch oven, heavy-bottomed pot, or high-sided frying pan over medium-high heat, heat about 3 inches of canola oil to 350°F. Line a plate with a few layers of paper towels and place nearby for draining.
Step 2
Fry the very ripe plantain, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to the plate to drain.
Step 3
In a dry large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, add the dehusked tomatillos, onion, Roma or plum tomato, and garlic. Toast them in the pan, turning occasionally, until mostly blacked on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a high-speed blender and set aside.
Step 4
Wipe out any debris from the pan. Add the sesame seeds, cinnamon stick, clove, and cumin seeds and arrange in a single layer. PLace over very low heat and toast gently, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mixture becomes fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to the blender, and set aside.
Step 5
Wipe out any debris from the pan. Add the cleaned, deseeded, and deveined dried pasilla chiles, dried New Mexico chiles, and dried ancho chiles to the pan. Place the pan over low heat and toast the chiles for about 30 seconds per side. Remove from the heat and transfer the chiles to the blender.
Step 6
Wipe out any debris from the pan. Add the reserved veins and seeds from the dried chiles. Place the pan over medium-high heat and toast until blackened and beginning to smoke, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to the blender.
Step 7
Add the fresh oregano leaves, preferably Mexican oregano, and fried plantain to the blender and blend until very smooth.
Step 8
Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pot. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a strong simmer, about medium heat, and cook for 15 minutes. Break up the disk stone-ground Mexican dark chocolate into a few pieces, add it to the pot, and continue simmering for 10 minutes. Add the black beans and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste and add a little water if needed to thin out the mole. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Source
- The Gracias Madre Cookbook