Maple Mole
by Ben Rigby. Photo by Micheal Piazza.Mole is famous for its long list of ingredients as for its deep, intense richness. Chili peppers are being grown by more and more farmers, making it possible to make a mole with many different locally grown varieties. Whether your chilies are local or imported, you’ll also require a selection of nuts and some stale bread to help thicken the sauce. Maple syrup takes the place of chocolate in this recipe, providing a counterpoint to the intensity of the peppers. For this recipe, it does help to have a food processor. This sauce serves as a savoury contrast to sweet winter squash or rich duck breast.
Ingredients
- 2 dried ancho chilies (stems removed)
- 2 dried guajillo chilies (stems removed)
- 1 dried chipotle chili
- 1 dried cascobal chili (stem removed)
- 1 tablespoon ground ancho chile powder
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds
- ⅓ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1 slice of stale bread
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 3 cups of water
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
Instructions
- With scissors, cut the chilies into small pieces and shake out the seeds if you don’t want the mole to be too spicy. In a saucepan, add the dry ingredients minus the chili powder and salt. Place over a high flame and toast everything for a few minutes, until you can smell the aromas. Add the water, chili powder and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes.
- Transfer the whole mixture to a food processor and blend to a fine paste. Add the maple syrup while the processor is running and taste frequently. The syrup should be a pleasant background, but not a dominant one. Season with more salt if needed.
- Transfer to a lidded jar and refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce will keep 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge.
