43. Mole Poblano

Mexican chocolate is not readily available to me, so 60% cocoa chocolate was substituted. The vegetables and quinoa are definitely not authentic or traditional, but was how I decided to make dinner, and is a suggestion you can try if you like, or substitute with whatever veggies/protein/carbs you like.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Remove the stems of the chillies then dry toast them in a pan, be careful not to go for too long. Remove and cover with hot water, and allow to soften for 20 minutes. Then tip the onion, tomato, garlic and chillies in a blender, with some chilli steeping liquid if needed. Set this purée aside.

Step 2

Create the thickening paste by frying all of the ingredients in that section in the oil until toasty but not burnt. I suggest reserving some of the sesame seeds for garnish. Tip this in the blender and blitz with enough of the leftover chilli liquid (I used about 250mL) until this forms a purée also. This will take longer, be patient, make sure the paste is smooth and not bitty.

Step 3

Create the spice mix by placing the whole spices in a pan to dry toast for a couple minutes, then blitz to a fine powder in a coffee or spice grinder.

Step 4

Combine the three components of the mole sauce previously prepared with the stock and chocolate, and simmer gently for approximately 1 hour. During this time, the tomatoes will cook and the sweetness will come out gradually. Stir with a spoon every 5 minutes or so to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Adjust seasoning with salt and sugar to taste.

Step 5

While the sauce is simmering, prepare the vegetables for roasting, drizzle over the olive oil, and roast at at 180 degrees until cooked, about 30-40 minutes.

Step 6

Prepare the quinoa by rinsing the dry quinoa thoroughly under running water, before heating with another 500mL of stock. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down, ensuring the lid is off. Cook until liquid has absorbed or evaporated, usually 15-20 mins, the. Turn off the heat and pop a lid on. Allow it to steam itself for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Step 7

Serve quinoa with cauliflower, sweet potato and mushroom, and top liberally with the mole sauce, plus a light sprinkling of sesame seeds.