Chicken Tamales with Mole

1. Soak the dried corn husks in warm water until pliable, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
2. Place 6 tablespoons Tamale Dough in the middle of a corn husk. Using your hands, press the dough into the corn husk starting 1/2-inch down from the wide part. Add 2 tablespoons Filling, and shape in to a rectangle big enough to fill the corn husk. Fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Tear off a thin strip from the edge and tie the tamale closed. Repeat with the remaining husks, Dough and Filling. Steam the tamales for 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, a pinch of salt and some black pepper in a small bowl. Mix to combine and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to lightly marinate.
4. To serve, pour some Mole Poblano over an opened tamale. Spoon the tomato garnish over the top, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds and shave the Mexican chocolate over the top.

Tamale Dough:

1. To a Dutch oven, add the vegetable oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Saute for a few minutes, until beginning to soften. Add the chipotle in adobo and continue to cook for the vegetables to soften some more, another 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and let it come up to a simmer.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the masa, salt and baking powder. With the mixer running on medium-high speed, add the lard slowly to the masa until it reaches a granular consistency. Slowly incorporate the sofrito broth, continuing to mix, reserving about 1/2 cup broth. Continue mixing for another minute or so, until a 1/2-teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water (if it floats, you can be sure the tamales will be tender and light). Beat in enough of the remaining 1/2 cup broth to give the mixture the consistency of soft (not runny) cake batter; it should hold its shape in a spoon. Taste the batter and season with additional salt if needed. For the lightest textured tamales, refrigerate the batter for an hour or so, then rebeat, adding a little more broth or water to bring the mixture to the soft consistency it had before.

Chicken Filling:

1. Bring the chicken, broth, garlic, bay leaves and onion to a slow simmer in a large saucepan for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the broth and shred. Add the butter and cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

Mole Poblano:

1. In an oven set to 250 degrees F, toast the mulato, ancho, guajillo and pasilla chiles until fragrant and the skin is brittle, about 2 minutes. In a colander with holes big enough for the seeds to sift through, break the chiles in half or into large pieces to release the seeds. Discard the seeds and reserve the toasted chiles.
2. In a baking sheet, toast the almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds until fragrant and slightly brown, about 7 minutes. Reserve.
3. In a large pot over medium heat, melt all but 1 tablespoon lard. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the plantains, apples and tomatoes. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the nuts, pumpkin seeds, chiles and chipotle in adobo. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes, then add the allspice, star anise and cinnamon. Cook for another 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until all the flavors come together.
5. Add the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the chocolate and blend again. In a large pot over medium-low heat, add the remaining tablespoon lard and fry the puree, 7 to 10 minutes. This step refortifies the sauce.