SPICY MOLE RECIPES

Steps:

• In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add baguette halves; cook until golden brown on one side. Turn; cook until golden brown on other side. Stir in garlic. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until garlic is light golden brown. Set bread halves aside.
• In same Dutch oven, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over very low heat.
• Meanwhile, make mole mixture in 2 batches. In blender, place 1 baguette half, 1 clove garlic, half each of the mole sauce, chicken broth and tomatoes. Cover; blend on high speed about 45 seconds or until smooth. Add mixture to Dutch oven. Repeat with the remaining baguette half, garlic, mole sauce, chicken broth and tomatoes.
• Stir in potatoes and nopales. Heat to boiling. Stir in chicken. Reduce heat to low; simmer 30 to 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat rice and water to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand about 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff rice with fork. Sprinkle mole mixture with salt. Serve mole mixture over rice; sprinkle with sesame seed.

Steps:

• Toast guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, and chipotle chiles in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until warm and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the blender with chicken broth.
• Heat 2 cups chicken broth in a saucepan until it begins to simmer, about 5 minutes. Pour broth into a blender.
• Toast dinner roll pieces and tortilla strips in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the blender with chicken broth and chiles
• Allow the chiles and toasted bread and tortillas to soak, fully submerged, in the chicken broth until softened, about 10 minutes. Blend the mixture until smooth.
• Cook tomatoes and tomatillos in a dry skillet on medium-high heat until soft and blackened, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place tomatoes in the blender with the chile puree.
• Melt lard in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, peanuts, raisins, cumin seeds, thyme, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice berries; cook and stir until onions are soft and golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and other whole spices; add onion mixture to the blender with the chile-tomato mixture and blend until smooth.
• Pour chile puree into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in chocolate chicken broth, sugar, and salt. Bring mixture to a simmer; stir until chocolate is melted and sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, 10 to 15 minutes.