Moles In Gripe Salice Recipe

1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the dried guajillo, pasilla, and mulato chiles until fragrant and slightly blistered, about 1-2 minutes. Turn them to prevent scorching.

2. Transfer the toasted chiles to a heatproof bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak 15-20 minutes until softened.

3. In another skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.

4. Tear or cut the bread/tortillas into pieces and toast them in the same skillet with a little olive oil until crisp and golden.

5. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic; sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

6. Add the tomatillos and cook until they are soft and blistered, 6-8 minutes.

7. Carefully drain the soaking chiles. Remove stems and seeds if not already done. Transfer the chiles to a blender along with the sautéed onion, garlic, tomatillos, toasted seeds, and the toasted bread pieces. Blend until very smooth, adding a splash of stock if needed to reach a thick puree.

8. Pass the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the pot to remove any remaining skins or fibers, pressing with a spoon to extract the liquid.

9. Return the puree to the pot. Stir in the cocoa powder, dark chocolate, ground cinnamon, cumin, and cloves. Add a pinch of black pepper and mix well.

10. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, a little at a time, until the mole reaches a thick, glossy consistency. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 25-40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

11. Season the mole with salt to taste and adjust with more spices or stock as needed.

12. Prepare and brown the chicken

Season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. In a heavy skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken, skin-side first, until golden brown. Turn and brown the other side. Remove and set aside.

13. Deglaze and build the braise

Pour a splash of chicken stock into the skillet to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Pour this into the mole pot to enrich the sauce.

14. Braise the chicken in mole

Return the chicken to the mole sauce, ensuring it is mostly submerged. Cover and simmer on low heat for 25-35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender, turning halfway if needed.

15. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed. If the mole seems too thick, add a little more stock; if too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce.

16. Serve with accompaniments

Spoon mole over the chicken on warm plates. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro if desired.

17. Side dishes

Serve alongside warm corn tortillas or steamed rice for a traditional presentation.