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Essential Sauces for Everyday
Recipe
45 min

Mole Poblano

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Mole Poblano
Author: America's Test Kitchen

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 11, 2024

Our version of Mexico's iconic sauce is less labor intensive but still remarkably rich tasting.

Time

45 min

Yield

Makes about 4 cups

Why This Recipe Works

Mexican and Tex-Mex sauces like mole and enchilada sauces get their complex flavors from fresh or dried chiles and spices. Pureed nuts or seeds give moles a velvety texture, while enchilada sauces tend to be thinner, since they’re made without either. These sauces pair well with any protein.

Ingredients

3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into ½‑inch pieces (¾ cup)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped coarse
3 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5‑ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Instructions

  1. Toast ancho chiles in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 6 minutes; transfer to plate.
  2. Heat oil in now-empty saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chocolate and stir until melted, about 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in broth, tomatoes, raisins, peanuts, sesame seeds, and chiles and simmer until reduced to about 4 cups, about 30 minutes.
  4. Transfer sauce to blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)
    Recipe Tip
    Spoon your sauce over roasted or grilled chicken, beef, or pork. You can also use it as a base for taco filling!

My Rating

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Recipe1 hr 20 min

Red Enchilada Sauce

Mole Poblano

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 11, 2024

Time

45 min

Yield

Makes about 4 cups

Mole Poblano

Ingredients

3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into ½‑inch pieces (¾ cup) 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Salt and pepper ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped coarse 3 cups chicken broth1 (14.5‑ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained¼ cup raisins ¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Instructions

  1. Toast ancho chiles in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 6 minutes; transfer to plate.
  2. Heat oil in now-empty saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chocolate and stir until melted, about 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in broth, tomatoes, raisins, peanuts, sesame seeds, and chiles and simmer until reduced to about 4 cups, about 30 minutes.
  4. Transfer sauce to blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)
    Recipe Tip
    Spoon your sauce over roasted or grilled chicken, beef, or pork. You can also use it as a base for taco filling!
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