Dinner

Chocolate Mole Sauce

Add some pizzazz to meals with this recipe for Mole Sauce. Mole sauce is a rich and savoury traditional Mexican sauce made of hot chiles and rich chocolate. It’s cooked slowly and flavoured with fresh herbs and spices. It goes well with chicken or with enchiladas.

Prep Time

Servings

16 dried chile peppers (16)

1/4 cup canola oil, divided (60 mL)

1/4 cup raw sesame seed (60 mL)

4 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) strips

1 cup finely chopped onions (250 mL)

1 cup chopped and seeded tomatoes (250 mL)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (125 mL)

1 bay leaf, crushed (1)

1/2 tsp cinnamon (2 mL)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper (2 mL)

1/2 tsp salt (2 mL)

1/4 tsp cloves (1 mL)

1/2 tsp cumin (2 mL)

1/2 tsp cayenne peppers (2 mL)

1/2 tsp oregano (2 mL)

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (125 g)

3 1/2 cups sodium-reduced chicken stock (875 mL)

1/2 cup chopped and toasted cashews (125 mL)

In a bowl, cover chilies with water and soak for 30 minutes. Reserve 1/3 cup (75 mL) of soaking water. Stem and seed chilies. Note: chilies may be very irritating to skin recommend use rubber gloves when handling and always keep hands away from eyes and face.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) canola oil over medium heat. Fry chilies for 30 seconds on each side. Remove chilies from skillet and add sesame seeds; stir until toasted lightly, about 1 minute. Remove sesame seeds from skillet and set aside. Add 1 Tbsp (15 mL) more canola oil to skillet and, when hot, add tortilla strips; fry until soft, about 2 minutes. Place chilies, sesame seeds, tortilla strips and reserved soaking water in a blender and puree to a paste; set aside.
In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 Tbsp (30 mL) canola oil over medium-high heat; sauté onions until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cilantro and cook for 2 minutes. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, pepper, salt, cloves, cumin, cayenne and oregano and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Add chopped chocolate and continue cooking and stirring until chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes.
Add chicken stock and cashews and bring to a boil. Add pureed chili mixture and stir well. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, or until mixture thickens and flavours have blended. Serve with grilled pork tenderloin, duck breasts, chicken or turkey.

Ingredients

16 dried chile peppers (16)

1/4 cup canola oil, divided (60 mL)

1/4 cup raw sesame seed (60 mL)

4 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) strips

1 cup finely chopped onions (250 mL)

1 cup chopped and seeded tomatoes (250 mL)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (125 mL)

1 bay leaf, crushed (1)

1/2 tsp cinnamon (2 mL)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper (2 mL)

1/2 tsp salt (2 mL)

1/4 tsp cloves (1 mL)

1/2 tsp cumin (2 mL)

1/2 tsp cayenne peppers (2 mL)

1/2 tsp oregano (2 mL)

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (125 g)

3 1/2 cups sodium-reduced chicken stock (875 mL)

1/2 cup chopped and toasted cashews (125 mL)

Did you know?

Canola oil is Canada’s No. 1 cooking oil and the second most popular choice in the United States.

Did you know?

21.2 million acres of canola were grown by more than 40,000 Canadian farmers in 2022.

Directions

In a bowl, cover chilies with water and soak for 30 minutes. Reserve 1/3 cup (75 mL) of soaking water. Stem and seed chilies. Note: chilies may be very irritating to skin recommend use rubber gloves when handling and always keep hands away from eyes and face.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) canola oil over medium heat. Fry chilies for 30 seconds on each side. Remove chilies from skillet and add sesame seeds; stir until toasted lightly, about 1 minute. Remove sesame seeds from skillet and set aside. Add 1 Tbsp (15 mL) more canola oil to skillet and, when hot, add tortilla strips; fry until soft, about 2 minutes. Place chilies, sesame seeds, tortilla strips and reserved soaking water in a blender and puree to a paste; set aside.
In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 Tbsp (30 mL) canola oil over medium-high heat; sauté onions until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cilantro and cook for 2 minutes. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, pepper, salt, cloves, cumin, cayenne and oregano and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Add chopped chocolate and continue cooking and stirring until chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes.
Add chicken stock and cashews and bring to a boil. Add pureed chili mixture and stir well. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, or until mixture thickens and flavours have blended. Serve with grilled pork tenderloin, duck breasts, chicken or turkey.

Nutritional Analysis

Calories

120

Total Fat

5 g

Saturated Fat

1.5 g

Cholesterol

0 mg

Sodium

125 mg

Carbohydrates

12 g

Fiber

2 g

Sugar

5 g

Protein

3 g

Potassium

240 mg

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