Mole Negro Oaxaqueno - Oxacan Black Mole

One of the seven moles from Oaxaca

YIELD:  5 portions
Amount Measure Ingredients 
2  Pounds  Pork, cubed
5 ea Chilhuacle Negro Chiles or Anchos Rajos
6  Cups  Pork Stock
5  ea Guajillo Chiles
1 Medium  White Onion, quartered 
8 ea Pasilla Chiles
6  Cloves  Garlic
4  ea Mulatto Chiles, or Ancho Negros
2 Tablespoons  Whole Almonds
2  ea Chipotle Chiles
2  Tablespoons  Peanuts, skinned 
2-4  Tablespoons  Shortening or Lard
2  Teaspoons  Dark Raisins
1 Slice  Bread, preferably egg bread
1  Small  Ripe Plantain, or Banana, sliced
1/2  Cup  Sesame Seeds
2  ea Pecan Halves
l One Inch Stick  Canela or Cinnamon Stick
2  ea Black Peppercorns
2  Whole  Cloves
2  Medium  Tomatoes, roasted and chopped
5  ea Tomatillos, Fresh , roasted and chopped
1/2  Teaspoon  Dried Mexican Oregano
1  ea Avocado Leaf or Bay Leaf
1-1/2  Discs Ibarra Mexican Chocolate
  to taste Salt 
 
Preparation
Simmer the pork until tender about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove pork from stock and keep warm, reserving stock. Tear chilies removing and saving seeds and discarding stems and veins. Rinse chilies under running water. Heat comal or sauté pan; lightly toast chilies until they turn dark, but do not let them burn. Or, sauté chilies in 2 tablespoons of the shortening over medium high heat, until they turn a little dark and soft. Place chile in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let them steep for 30 minutes to soften. Remove chilies from steeping liquid (discard bitter liquid), and place in a blender, adding just enough pork stock to puree into a paste. In the same pan that chilies were sautéed, roast onion and garlic, until slightly brown then remove. Next, toast almonds and peanuts slightly and remove. Finally, toast chile seeds, be careful not to let the seeds burn or they will become very bitter. Toast tomatoes, peel, core and seed, reserving juice; toast Tomatillos discard burn skin and core. Toast avocado leaf over open flame, grind and reserve. Heat 2 tablespoons of the shortening in same sauté pan and fry raisins until plump. Drain raisins on paper towels. Fry plantain slices until lightly browned; cube and fry bread until brown, remove and drain. Over low heat fry sesame seeds, stirring often. When sesame seeds are lightly brown, add pecans and brown. Next, fry canela, cloves and peppercorns. In a blender or food processor, puree nuts, bread and sesame seeds in small batches and remove. Add onions, garlic, plantains, raisins and chile puree.

Remove add to nuts. Puree tomatoes and Tomatillos, adding reserved tomato juice to nut mixture. In a large frying pan, heat up oil or lard and fry chile paste, stirring constantly to prevent burning. When paste is dry , add the tomato puree and fry until the liquid has evaporated. Add ground spices, nut mixture, oregano and thyme along with ground avocado leaf, chocolate and enough pork stock to make a light coating on the back of a spoon; simmer for 45 minutes and serve.

This mole can be made with turkey, chicken or beef for a slightly different flavor. Here I have elected to use pork for a sweeter flavor. This is one of seven moles from Oaxaca.