Mole Poblano Sauce with Applewood Smoked Olive Oil and Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Vinegar

There are as many mole sauce recipes as households and restaurants that make it. This ancient Mexican sauce can range in spiciness, smokiness, texture, and amount of chocolate used. It is extremely versatile for use with chicken, beef, and vegetable dishes. It is a a labor of love, and freezes well. This recipe makes a 2 quart batch.

Ingredients

3 dozen (total) dried chiles: (assorted) ancho, amarillo, chipotle, guajillo
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup Applewood Smoked Olive Oil
8-10 dried prunes, diced
4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Espresso Rub Seasoning
2 Tbsp Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ cup almonds, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 7 oz. can diced green chilis
2 cups liquid
½ tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp maple syrup
Sesame seeds and chopped cilantro for garnish

Preparation

1. Soak all dried chilis in warm water until soft and skins peel off easily. This can take from a few hours to overnight. One option is to place them in a large pot with water and simmer on low until pliable. Using a paring knife and wearing gloves, split chilis open and carefully remove seeds and skins. Chop the chilis and place in a clean bowl. Strain the liquid to remove excess seeds and pour back over the chilis. Use this liquid later in the recipe.
2. Heat Applewood Smoked Olive Oil over medium-low heat and sweat yellow onion and bell pepper until soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Add chopped garlic and chopped prunes, cook 2-3 minutes.
4. Add all dried seasonings: Espresso Rub, cumin, coriander, salt. Stir a few minutes to allow seasonings to release their oils.
5. Deglaze with Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Vinegar and add almonds, tomato paste, and green chilis; stir to incorporate.
6. Add chopped chilis to mixture. Measure out the cooking liquid and add stock to have 2 cups total. Pour into the pot and stir all together.
7. Add the cocoa powder and maple syrup.
8. Simmer on low about 30 minutes; cool and then puree using a food processor or immersion blender.