serves
8 - 10
serves
8 - 10
people
Ingredients
- 6 dried pasilla chillies
- 10 dried ancho chillies
- 8 dried mulato chillies
- ½ cup raisins
- 5 tomatoes
- 6 tomatillos, tinned or fresh
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- ½ cup unblanched almonds
- 2 corn tortillas, cut in 1cm strips
- 4 cloves, ground
- 6 allspice berries, ground
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 7 cloves garlic, roasted and peeled
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup peanut oil, extra
- 3 triangles Mexican chocolate
- roasted sesame or pepita seeds
Instructions
Remove seeds from dried chillies, then dry-roast in a non-stick frying pan over low heat for about 20 seconds, or until fragrant. Place chillies in a bowl, add 2 litres boiling water and stand for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Strain chillies and reserve liquid if the taste is not bitter.
Place raisins in a bowl, cover with warm water and stand 20 minutes to soften. Drain.
Place tomatoes and tomatillos on an oven tray and grill under medium heat about 5 minutes, or place on an open flame, turning occasionally to char the skins without cooking the flesh.
Dry-roast pumpkin seeds in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes until they stop popping. Do not burn.
Heat 1 tbsp oil and cook almonds over med-low heat until browned.
Place chillies, raisins, tomatoes, tomatillos, pumpkin seeds, almonds, tortilla strips, clove, allspice, cinnamon, garlic, water, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper in a blender and puree in batches, until smooth. Add a little water or water from chillies, if necessary.
Push puree through a sieve and discard solids. Heat extra oil in a heavy-based pot until almost smoking, reduce to medium, add sauce and cook, stirring constantly, for 10-15 minutes.
Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl over simmering water, and gradually stir into sauce.
Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, a further 45-60 minutes, adding more water or water from chillies, if necessary.
11. Serve over roasted chicken or turkey and sprinkle with sesame seeds or pepitas.
Note: freezes well for up to 2 weeks. Serve this sauce over any other deep flavoured dish. Serve warm, not hot.
Chef Victor Pipasia from Victor’s Food
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
