Mole Colorado

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, or 4 pounds legs and thighs
• 1 medium onion, halved
• 3 whole cloves
• 3 whole black peppercorns
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 head garlic, halved
• 5 ancho chiles, seeded, and cut into small strips
• 3 pasilla chiles, seeded, and cut into small strips
• 5 to 6 cascabel chiles, seeded, and cut into small strips
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 5 inches long)
• 1 1/4 cups canola or corn oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 plantain (platano macho), peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 1 medium-size tortilla, cut into triangles, plus more for serving
• 1 slice bread, cut into 4 pieces
• 5 ounces Mexican Chocolate (recommended: Ibarra or Mi Abuelita)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 tomato, roasted
• 1 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup green squash seeds (pepitas)

Directions

Make chicken broth: In a deep stockpot, place the chicken, onion, cloves, peppercorns, parsley, and garlic and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender. Remove chicken from the broth and reserve; cover and refrigerate as you will not be using it for a while. Let the broth cool. Skim any fat from the surface and then divide broth into 2 equal-size batches.

In a hot, dry, large skillet roast the chiles and then add them to 1 half of the broth. In the same skillet, toast the black peppercorns and cinnamon stick separately over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute, and then add them to the chicken broth with the chiles.

In the same skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and saute until transparent; remove onion and reserve. To the hot oil, add the chopped garlic and saute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it; remove garlic and reserve. To the hot oil, add the plantain slices and fry until golden; remove plantain and reserve. To the hot oil, add the peanuts and fry until golden; remove peanuts and reserve. To the hot oil, add the tortilla and fry until crisp; remove tortilla and reserve. Finally, fry the bread in the hot oil until crisp; remove bread and reserve.

Add everything that has just been fried to the chicken broth with the chiles. Add the chocolate, raisins, and the roasted tomato to this same mixture and stir to combine. In batches, add mixture to a blender and blend until smooth*. Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl.

In a dry medium saucepan over medium heat, roast the sesame seeds until they are fragrant; do not brown. Transfer the sesame seeds to the blender with half of the remaining plain chicken broth and blend until smooth*. Add sesame seed mixture to the large bowl with the other pureed ingredients. In the same saucepan, roast the squash seeds over medium heat until they become puffy. Transfer the squash seeds to the blender with the remaining chicken broth and blend until smooth*. Add squash seed mixture to the large bowl with everything else.

In a "cazuela" or a large, heavy-bottomed wide pot, heat the remaining 1 cup of oil over high heat. When the oil is really hot, add the mole, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally so that it does not stick to the pot. Then add the chicken and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve with tortillas.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.