PORK AND MOLE NEGRO

PORK AND MOLE NEGRO image

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 30

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Ingredients

FOR THE PORK:
3 canned chipotles in adobo,
3 tbsp. adobo sauce reserved
1/2 cup corn oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. ancho chile powder
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. honey
3 cloves garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper, to taste
3 lbs. pork loin, trimmed
FOR THE MOLE:
1 large tomatillo, stemmed, rinsed, and quartered
1 small tomato, cored and halved
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 cup corn oil
6 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
1/2 ripe plantain or banana, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4 cup peanuts, plus more crushed for garnish
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup raisins
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 oz. Mexican chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. ground canela or cinnamon
1 slice white sandwich bread, toasted and crumbled
Kosher salt, to taste
Grated piloncillo or brown sugar, to taste
6 sprigs cilantro, for garnish

Steps:

Marinate: Purée chipotles with reserved sauce, oil, vinegar, chile powder, oregano, honey, & garlic until smooth & season with salt and pepper. Put pork into 1-gallon ziploc bag. pour sauce over pork. Refrigerate overnight. Heat oven to broil and position a rack 10" from the heating element. Toss tomatillos, tomatoes, and onions with 2 tbsp. oil in bowl & transfer to foil-lined baking sheet; broil, turning once w/ tongs, until soft & well browned, about 15 min. Transfer charred vegetables to large bowl; set aside. Heat oven to 400. Transfer chiles to foil-lined baking sheet and toast, turning once, until dark and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer toasted chiles to large bowl and cover with 3 cups boiling water; set aside to let soften for 15 minutes. Drain chiles, reserving 1-2 cup soaking liquid; set aside. Heat 3/4 cup oil in 3-qt. high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add plantains and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, 2 min. Add peanuts & sesame seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, 3 minutes. Add raisins, tomatillo mixture, & chiles w/reserved soaking liquid, along with chicken broth, chocolate, oregano, canela, and bread; bring the mixture to a boil and remove from heat. Working in batches, purée the chile mixture in a blender to make a smooth mole. Heat remaining oil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mole and cook, whisking frequently, until it thickens slightly, about 5 min. Season w/ salt and piloncillo; set mole aside & keep warm. 5. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400. Remove pork from adobo, season lightly with salt, and transfer to a rack set in a roasting pan. Discard adobo. Cook the pork, flipping once, until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork reads 150, about 45 min. Transfer pork to a platter; let rest for 10 min. Slice pork into 1-2"-thick medallions. Divide mole bt 6 plates. Arrange pork over mole & garnish with peanuts/cilantro