Mole Michoacano
A rustic, deeply complex, and spectacular mole from Michoacán: a perfect harmony of toasted and subtly sweet notes achieved by blending local dried chilies, stone-ground chocolate, animal crackers, and pumpkin seeds, served with chicken and white rice.
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100 min
Mexicana (Michoacana)
4 servings
The story behind
You seriously have absolutely no idea what an incredible, deeply rewarding flavor journey this traditional masterpiece is—it is a true taste of Michoacán's heritage! The very first time I experienced an authentic mole michoacano was in a small village near Pátzcuaro, prepared by a traditional home cook over a wood-fired stove. I was completely blown away because, unlike other sweet Mexican moles, the Michoacán style boasts a more rustic, earthy, and spiced character where the toasted notes of pumpkin seeds and almonds truly shine. She beautifully explained to me that the ultimate golden secret to achieving that mirror-like gloss and velvety thickness is frying every single ingredient separately in pork lard, and using traditional animal crackers to add rich body and a subtle touch of sweetness. Personally, I absolutely love prepping this for grand family feasts because the aroma that fills the entire house is pure happiness. It looks identical to the photo layout when you plate a generous portion of fluffy white vegetable rice and heavily smother the tender chicken piece in the hot, dense mole sauce, exactly like the stunning arrangement in mole michoacano.jpg. To drink, an ice-cold glass of horchata or a neat glass of local Cupreata mezcal cuts through the deep layers flawlessly. You are going to fall in love with it!
Instructions
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1In a deep heavy pot, melt a generous tablespoon of pork lard over medium heat and flash-fry the ancho, pasilla, and mulato chilies for a few seconds per side until fragrant but not burned; remove and submerge them in hot chicken broth to soften.
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2In the same remaining fat, fry the whole almonds, pumpkin seeds, onion piece, garlic cloves, and animal crackers separately until everything turns beautifully golden-brown and fragrant; remove and set aside.
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3Blend the rehydrated chilies along with the fried nut mixture, ground clove, cinnamon, and enough chicken broth until an incredibly fine, velvety, and thick paste forms.
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4Pour this paste through a fine sieve back into the hot pot. Season with coarse salt and cook the mole over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring continuously in a circular motion to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom.
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5Drop the half tablet of chocolate into the simmering sauce, continuing to stir gently until fully melted and integrated, allowing the mole to take on a gorgeous deep mahogany sheen.
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6Nestle the pre-cooked chicken pieces into the bubbling pot, cover tightly, and let everything simmer together over very low heat for 10 minutes to infuse the meat thoroughly.
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7To plate up flawlessly just like the layout in mole michoacano.jpg, spoon a clean mound of white vegetable rice onto one side of the plate, rest the richly smothered chicken piece right next to it, and scatter a shower of toasted sesame seeds over the top before serving.
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