Name: Teotitlán-style Black Mole (Mole Negro de Teotitlán)
Yield: About 3½ to 4½ cups before thinning
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 ounces guajillo chiles; ¼ cup blanched almonds; 4 unpeeled garlic cloves; 1 thick slice day-old brioche or challah; ⅓ cup pecan meats; 1 large ripe tomato; 1 large or 2 medium unpeeled onions; 4 ounces ancho chiles; 4 ounces tomatillos, with husks; ⅔ cup (about 3 ounces) sesame seeds; 7 tablespoons lard (preferably home-rendered); One 6-inch piece canela; ½ bunch or 1 small bunch thyme (about 2 dozen sprigs), or 2 teaspoons dried, crumbled; ¼ cup dried Oaxacan oregano or 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled; 16 whole cloves; 14 allspice berries; ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced; 1 cup dark raisins; 2 to 4 cups homemade chicken stock, or as necessary

Preparation info

About
3½ to 4½ cups
before thinning

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Food and Life of Oaxaca

By Zarela Martínez

Published 1997

About

Mole Negro is the state dish of Oaxaca, the king of moles. It also happens to be the most difficult to make. People pride themselves on their own different touches, and family recipes are passed down as heirlooms. Markets stands specializing in moles all proclaim that their version is the best.

I have selected two representative recipes for Mole Negro. The first is an adaptation of a version made by my friend and culinary mentor Zoyla Mendoza, who has