Serious Heat: Silky, Spicy Mole Sauce Recipe

By
Andrea Lynn
Andrea Lynn
Andrea Lynn is a freelance food writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer. The former senior food editor for Chile Pepper Magazine, she contributed weekly columns on cooking with heat for Serious Eats.
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Updated Sep. 28, 2018

Note: On Wednesdays, Andrea Lynn, senior editor of Chile Pepper magazine, drops by with Serious Heat.

What is it about the smoky pep of a chile combined with the rich goodness of dark chocolate? The duo doesn't necessarily have to be saved for dessert either. Welcome to the wonders of mole! There are many types of mole sauce--combos include a variety of chiles, garlic, onion and spices, sometimes with a little chocolate snuck in. Pumpkin seeds, raisins, and plantains can also make their way into the smooth, flavorful sauce.

This recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, The New Steak by Cree LeFavour, is so good that the first time I made it, I had to use restraint not to lick the plate clean. It proves yet again that chiles and chocolate are a dreamy combination.

Recipe Facts

5

(1)

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Rehydrating Time: 30 mins
Total: 60 mins
Serves: 4 servings

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Ingredients

  • 1 dried pasilla chile, seeded and chopped (reserve the seeds)

  • 2 chipotles in adobo, seeded and chopped

  • 1 cup cooked black beans

  • 1 ounce dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

  • 1/3 cup almonds, toasted

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 cups chicken stock

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

  • 2 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1/3 cup)

Directions

  1. Rehydrate the pasilla chile by pouring boiling water over it, and allowing it to soak for half an hour.

  2. When you're ready to make the sauce, pull the chile open and seed it. Chop coarsely and put in a blender or food processor with the chipotles, black beans, chocolate, almonds and salt. Blend, adding the stock slowly, allowing the blades to do their work as the sauce thins out.

  3. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, and gently sauté the garlic and shallots over low heat. Once they're soft, add them to the blended chocolate-chile mix, and blend again.

  4. Transfer the sauce to a saucepan, and simmer for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it to avoid scalding because the chocolate and nuts are delicate.

  5. The sauce should have a subtle but definite heat and enough salt to bring out the diverse flavors. If the sauce needs to be spicier, add some of the reserved chile seeds or add a low-acid hot sauce such as Marie Sharp's.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
290 Calories
17g Fat
26g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 290
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 4mg 1%
Sodium 556mg 24%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
Dietary Fiber 7g 25%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 4mg 18%
Calcium 66mg 5%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 519mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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