Mole negro

24 ingredients and six hours later.

Every time I hear about the technical prowess of french chefs and their amazing sauces I think about the hopelessly elaborate and time consuming mole negro of Oaxaca.

I remember first learning to make it from a chef that worked as cdc for Mark Miller. "No, you need to burn the chili seeds more" What? Burn?This was not a concept a young chef could easily understand but I charred the seeds until they were black.

So many ingredients and different cooking techniques that it becomes nearly impossible to pick out but a few. Char, poach, toast, burn, puree, refry, strain. The flavors meld into a rich sauce unlike anything else. The sauce "is" the dish and the accompanying protein is just the side man. We are pairing this with pieces of short rib braised in the mole but it could have just as easily been a leg of chicken or the more traditional turkey and would still be great.