Mole Poblano De Pollo

* Exported from MasterCook *

MOLE POBLANO DE POLLO

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Poultry

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
-----CHILES-----
4 Chiles mulatos
2 Chiles anchos
3 Chiles pasillas
1/4 c Shortening (lard if you're
-being traditional)
-- Water, warm, to
cover
-----CHICKEN-----
1 Chicken, 4 lb
4 tb Shortening (or lard)
1 sm Carrot -- sliced
1 sm Onion -- sliced
1 Garlic clove -- peeled
1 tb Salt
3 Peppercorns
-- Water to cover
1/2 c -- Water
1/4 c Shortening (or lard)
1/4 c Tomatillos -- drained
2 Cloves
5 Peppercorns
1/2 In Cinnamon stick
1/8 ts Cilantro seeds and
1/8 ts Aniseed, toasted together
1/2 tb Reserved chili seeds,
-toasted separately
3 tb Sesame seeds, toasted
2 Garlic cloves, toasted
3 tb Shortening
1 tb Raisins
10 Almonds, unblanched
1 oz Pumpkin seeds
1 Corn tortilla, stale
3 Croutons stale French bread
1 oz Mexican chocolate
2 c Chicken stock

The day before, slit the chiles open with a knife and
remove the seeds and veins, reserving at least 1/2
tablespoon of the seeds. Heat the shortening and
quickly fry the chiles on both sides. Take care that
they do not burn, and be careful how you inhale the
fumes, unless you want a seared windpipe. Put the
chiles into a bowl, cover them with water, and leave
them to stand overnight.

On serving day: preheat the oven to 325 F. Cut the
chicken into serving pieces. Set the giblets aside.
Melt 3 tablespoons lard and brown the chicken pieces
well. Drain off the excess fat. Cover the pan and
braise the chicken in the oven, without liquid, until
it is tender---40 to 60 minutes, depending on
toughness. Put the giblets into the pan with the rest
of the ingredients. Cover them with water and bring
them to a boil. Lower the flame and simmer for 1-1/4
to 1-1/2 hours. Strain the broth and set it aside.

When the chicken is cooked, pour off the juices in the
pan and set them aside to cool, then skim off the fat
and add them to the giblet broth. Set it aside. Blend
the chiles with the water until smooth---you may have
to do them in two or three lots but try not to add
more water. Melt the shortening, and when it is hot
but not smoking, cook the chili puree over a medium
flame for about 10 minutes, stirring it all the time.
Keep a lid handy, as it will splatter about. Set it
aside. Put the tomatillos in a blender or food
processor.

Put the spices into a spice grinder and add the
toasted, cooled seeds, reserving 2 tablespoons of the
sesame seeds for later use. Grind the spices and
seeds finely and transfer them to the blender jar.
Add the toasted garlic to the blender jar.

Melt three tablespoons of shortening in the frying pan
and fry the raisins briefly, just until they puff up,
and transfer them with a slotted spoon to the blender
jar. In the same pan fry the almonds, stirring them
all the time, until they are well browned. Remove
with a slotted spoon and crush them a little before
adding them to the blender jar. In the same pan fry
the pumpkin seeds lightly, but have a lid handy, as
they pop about explosively. Remove with a slotted
spoon and add to the blender. In the same pan fry the
tortilla until very crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon
and crush it a little before adding it to the blender.
In the same pan fry the bread until crisp, then remove
with a slotted spoon and crush. Add it to the blender
jar. Blend all the ingredients together until they
form a smooth paste. If it is absolutely necessary to
add some liquid to blend it effectively, then add a
little chicken broth.

Add the blended mixture to the chile sauce and cook
over a brisk flame for about five minutes, stirring
the mixture constantly. Break the chocolate into
small pieces and add it to the mixture. Continue
cooking the _mole_ for about 10 minutes more, stirring
it all the time so it does not stick. Add the broth
and continue cooking the _mole_ for a minimum of 40
minutes. Add salt as necessary, then add the chicken
pieces and heat them through. Serve individually,
sprinkled with some of the reserved toasted sesame
seeds.

The Cuisines of Mexico
Diana Kennedy



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