Recipe: Chicken with Peanut Mole Sauce

Chicken with Peanut Mole Sauce

1 (4-pound) stewing chicken, cut up
8 cups water
4 stalks celery with leaves
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 small onion, cut up
2 sprigs parsley
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 of a 10-ounce can (2/3 cup) tomatoes with green chiles
2 slices white bread, torn
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
4 whole cloves
3 whole black peppercorns
1 (1/2-inch stick) cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 small clove garlic, mlnced

Place chicken pieces in Dutch oven with water. Add celery, carrot, onion, parsley, bouillon granules, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Cover and cook over low heat 2 to 2-1/2 hours or till chicken is tender. Remove chicken pieces. Place in a 2-quart casserole. Strain broth; skim off fat. Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the broth for sauce (cover and refrigerate remaining broth for another use).

To prepare mole de cacahuate (peanut butter MOLE): In blender container place the reserved chicken broth, tomatoes with green chiles, bread, and peanut butter. Cover and blend till smooth. Turn into 2-quart saucepan. With mortar and pestle crush cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon well; add to saucepan along with chili powder and garlic. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or till thickened, stirring often.

Spoon mole de cacahuate over chicken in casserole. Bake, covered, in 350-degree F. oven 30 to 40 minutes or till heated through. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.