Recipe: Peanut Ancho Mole (food processor or blender)

PEANUT ANCHO MOLE

"For some people, there's food in the house as long as they have bread, but all I need is mole (MOOH-lay) in the refrigerator. It's a spicy Mexican sauce that turns the humblest ingredients into gourmet cuisine. I put it over and under fried eggs, on sandwiches, across any kind of meat, and most especially on nearly any ingredient enfolded in a tortilla."

3 dried ancho chiles
2 to 3 large tomatoes (or 6 ripe plum tomatoes)
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 1/2 cups peanut butter, any style
3 slices good bakery white bread, torn into pieces (or 1 cup unseasoned fresh bread crumbs)
3 canned chipotle chiles
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 cups chicken stock, divided use
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 to 3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Break off and discard the stems of the ancho chiles and shake out and discard the seeds. Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over high heat for several minutes and add the anchos to the pan. Press them against the skillet with a spatula for 4 to 5 seconds on each side. Don't let them burn but the color should lighten a little. Remove to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for about 20 minutes.

Place the tomatoes and garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil and set under a broiler for another 5 to 6 minutes. When one side of the tomatoes blackens, turn and broil for another 5 to 6 minutes. Don't let the garlic blacken - you may need to remove it sooner. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the softened garlic from its skin and peel off as much of the tomatoes' black skin as you can easily remove.

Combine the tomatoes and garlic in a food processor or a blender. Add the peanut butter, bread, chipotles, cinnamon, and 1 cup of the chicken stock. Puree to a smooth consistency. Strain through a wire sieve into a medium bowl. You'll need to scrape the sieve with a wooden spoon to force the thick mixture through. Discard the mushy grit left in the sieve.

Heat a large heavy skillet (cast iron actually works for this thick sauce, and so does any pan that's not nonstick) over high heat for several minutes and add the olive oil. When the oil starts to smoke slightly, pour in the tomato mixture all at once and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until the mixture has darkened. Reduce the heat and add the remaining 4 cups broth, wine, vinegar, and bay leaves. Stir well, cover loosely, and simmer over low heat for 45 to 60 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning.

When finished, the sauce will be very thick and smooth, with a little oil lying on the surface. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the sugar and salt. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 1 generous quart
Source: Bake It Like a Man by David and Sharon Bowers