blackberry urfa biber mole
(makes approximately 4 quarts)
While a mole made with a chile native to Turkey may sound unusual (it is!), in a strange way, it makes complete sense. Many food historians, including Rachel Laudan, who is the preeminent source on this topic, posit that “both moles and curries [are] vestiges of the cuisine of medieval Islam, a cuisine that was enjoyed from southern Spain in the west to northern India in the east. The high cuisine of medieval Islam [was] one of the most sophisticated the world had seen…. With the diffusion of Islam, the cuisine was transplanted to new territories. One of the most important was the Iberian Peninsula, whose southern two-thirds came under Arab rule in the eighth century” [Laudan, 2004, The Mexican Kitchen’s Islamic Connection, Aramco World, Volume 55, Number 3]. From Spain, the culinary pathway to Mexico is a clear and direct one.
Urfa Biber is a sun-dried Turkish Pepper, with a dark roasted flavor reminiscent of raisins, chocolate, or coffee. Urfa Biber has a mild heat that builds, and the direct sunlight creates a sensation of smokiness. In this mole, with its raisin, smoke, spice and a hint of chocolate, the flavor notes of the Urfa Biber Chile are front and center.
(Make 2 quarts, enough for 8-10 servings. Prep time: active 2 hours. Cooking level: Intermediate to expert)
Ingredients:
3 Chiles Ancho
3 Chile Pasilla (dried)
3 Chiles Chipotle Mecca (or sub dried Chiles Chipotles)
¼ cup Spiceology Urfa Biber Chile (,you may omit, the result will be a somewhat different but still amazing mole).
4 tablespoons raw white sesame seeds
4 small cloves garlic, peeled
2 thick slice Spanish white onion
4 tomatoes
6 tomatillos
1 sweet plantain or use fresh figs,, if in season
4 fresh figs (optional, of not available, omit and use sweet plantain)
2 sticks cinnamon, preferably Mexican
7-8 whole cloves
7-8 whole allspice (Pimentón)
2 star anise
¼ cup vegetable or olive oil
½ cup slivered almonds
½ cup raw or roasted pecans
½ cup raw or roasted cashews
½ cup raw or roasted peanuts (omit if there are peanut allergies)
4-5 cups chicken or corn stock, plus ¼ cup to “clean” your blender jar (preferably homemade)
4 tablespoons dark (at least 70% cacao) chocolate, I recommend Dandelion Chocolate’s Kokoa Kamili, Tanzania Chef's Chocolate)
1 vanilla bean (or sub extract or vanilla powder)
4 cups fresh or frozen organic blackberries
1 old corn tortilla as needed
2 tsp. salt or to taste
¼ cup vegetable or olive oil
Dry Roast: Whole Chiles, Urfa Biber Chile, Sesame Seeds, Onion Slice, Garlic, Tomatoes and Tomatillos, Nuts, Cinnamon sticks, Cloves, Allspice & Star Anise
Preheat comal (or, if unavailable, a heavy non-stick sauté pan) on high heat and dry roast (so no oil) the whole dry chile(s). I like to use a bacon press to make sure all parts of my dried chiles are in contact with the comal. Dried chiles cook very quickly (about 20 seconds per side), you want them to have spots where they have started to blacken, but you don’t want them burnt. Work with cooking thongs, watch chiles carefully, turning frequently. Next, add chiles to a bowl of cold water to cover; soak for 15-20 minutes. (You may have to put something heavy on top of your chiles so they remain covered with water.)
Add sesame seeds to the comal (always keep the fire under your comal on high). Cook for 20-30 seconds, being sure not to burn them. Them will begin to jump; at that point remove them to the blender jar. Dry roast onion, tomato, tomatillos and whole garlic cloves on the comal until charred on both/all sides. Dry roast each of the spices separately as the time it will take each one to bloom is a little different. As soon as you get a strong aroma from the spice, remove immediately from the comal. Next, turn off the stove and quickly dry roast the Urfa Biber Chile on the hot comal for just 30 seconds. Immediately remove from comal to blender jar. Add all ingredients you have dry-roasted to the blender jar.
Boil: (If using) Plantain by slitting it long ways,
for about 15 minutes until soft inside. Peal and add half to blender jar, or, add 4 figs (uncooked).
Sauté: Heat just enough of the oil to cover the bottom of a heavy sauté pan on medium heat and sauté each of the following separately so as to strictly control cooking time. Working with a slotted spoon, be sure to remove every nut or seed between steps so you don’t accumulate burnt pieces in your cooking oil:
· Sauté the almonds, moving them around in the pan, until they start to brown, about 2 minutes.
· Sauté the pecans, moving them around in the pan, until they start to brown, about 2 minutes.
· Sauté the peanut seeds (if using), moving them around in the pan, until they start to brown, about 2 minutes.
· Sauté the cashews, moving them around in the pan, until they start to brown, about 2 minutes.
Remove chiles from water (they should be soft), then remove and stems and seeds and add one two of each of chiles to the blender jar.
Reserve the extra chiles for later.
Blend: Add chiles to blender jar, along with 3 cups of chicken broth, vanilla (scrape beans from pod and use beans only), blackberries, and chocolate.
Blend well until you have a very smooth puree. You may need to work in several batches. (No need to worry about dividing the ingredients evenly between the batches, as everything will end up together).
Adjust your mole for taste and texture: Your mole should be the texture of a thick spaghetti sauce.
If it is too thick, add more stock. If it is too thin, first add the other half of your plantain. If still too thin, toast a tortilla on the comal or directly over a flame until edges begin to brown. Add half the tortilla to mole and blend again. Add the other half if needed until you achieve the texture you are looking for (mole will not thicken as it cooks). Add more chiles from those reserved if if needed, to taste. Blend again. Strain your mole through a fine sieve; you will need to use the back of spoon to “push” mole through the sieve due to the seeds from the blackberries. I find I need to rinse my strainer at least a couple of times during this process as so many seeds accumulate. Now, mix your batches of mole together by stirring well in a large bowl until everything is a uniform color.
Cook off your mole: Heat the remaining 6 tbsp. of oil in a thick-bottomed pot or clay Cazuela over medium heat until hot.
Add the puréed mole from your blender jar, being careful as the mole will splatter when it hits the oil (you may want to use a splatter screen). Add just a little more stock to your blender jar and swish around to get every bit of the mole, add this liquid to your pot, Cook your mole stirring constantly, until it gets slightly darker and thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 10-15 minutes. Add more broth if needed. Season to taste with salt as needed.
You can save your mole in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or up to a week, or freeze your mole for up to one month. We recommend you divide your mole into two portions, one to use now and one to use later.
This mole pairs well with any kind of poultry, game bird, or beef.It is also usual to serve mole in Mexico without a protein and accompanied by fresh, handmade corn tortillas and beans. We recommend Rancho Gordo Pinto Beans.