Building a Proper Mole Base
Mole is not a sauce you whip up on a whim; it is a construction project. By building the base correctly, you create a complex, earthy canvas that can be thinned or darkened with chocolate, broth, or fruit as the dish evolves.
Patience is your primary ingredient
The flavor depends on the depth of your toast; if you burn the chiles, the entire base will turn bitter. Keep your heat steady and stay at the stove.
- heavy-bottomed skillet
- high-speed blender
- mesh strainer
- tongs
What goes in.
- 6 ozdried chiles (Mulato, Ancho, and Pasilla), stems and seeds removed
- 1/2 cuplard or high-smoke point oil
- 1large white onion, cut into thick slabs
- 6garlic cloves, skins on
- 1/2 cupraw almonds or peanuts
- 1/4 cupsesame seeds
- 1whole cinnamon stick
- 1 tspwhole cloves
- 2 cupsrich chicken or vegetable stock
Refrying the Paste
After blending, the raw paste must be fried in hot fat until it darkens and the fat begins to bead on the surface. This step extracts the raw edge from the spices and chiles, transforming them into a cohesive whole.
The method.
Toast the chiles
Place the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until they become fragrant and pliable. Do not let them blacken.
Hydrate
Submerge the toasted chiles in hot water for 20 minutes until soft, then drain, reserving some of the soaking liquid.
Char aromatics
In the same skillet, char the onion slabs and garlic cloves until blackened in spots. Remove garlic skins after cooling.
Toast nuts and spices
Briefly toast the almonds, sesame seeds, cinnamon, and cloves in the skillet until the seeds pop and turn golden.
Blend
Combine all ingredients in a blender with 1 cup of stock. Pulse until completely smooth, adding more liquid if necessary to achieve the consistency of heavy cream.
Fry the base
Heat the lard in a heavy pot until shimmering. Pour in the paste and stir constantly for 10-15 minutes. Watch for the moment the oil separates and floats to the top.
Other turns to take.
Nut-Free
Substitute roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for the almonds to provide body without the nut allergens.
Sweetened
Add 1 ounce of Mexican dark chocolate during the frying step to deepen the color and round out the heat.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If your blender struggles, strain the paste through a fine-mesh sieve to catch any stubborn pieces of chile skin.
Always toast chiles in small batches to ensure even color and flavor development.
The base freezes well; keep it in an airtight container for up to three months.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why do the chiles turn bitter?
Usually because they were left in the skillet too long or the heat was too high. They should be fragrant and lightly toasted, not charred black.
How do I know when the base is done frying?
The color will deepen significantly, and you will see thin streaks of oil separating from the thick, glossy paste.
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