Red Mole

Name: Red Mole
Yield: Makes 4 cups
Ingredients: 3 large ripe tomatoes; 1 cup peanuts; 8 ancho chiles; 1/4 cup canola or peanut oil; 1 ripe plantain, peeled, halved lengthwise and then crosswise; 1 tablespoon annatto seeds; 1 tablespoon allspice berries; 1 teaspoon whole cloves; 1 canela or cinnamon stick, broken into pieces; 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns; 3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce; 1/3 cup Roasted Garlic Oil or pure olive oil; 3 3/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon Spanish sherry vinegar; 2 cups Chicken Stock; Kosher salt to taste

By Norman Van Aken

August 20, 2004

Canela, a Latin American cousin of cinnamon, is a leading player in this sauce. Once used by affluent Romans in love potions and perfumes, the spice, derived from the inner bark of a tropical evergreen, is hugely popular in New World cuisine, in everything from soups to desserts.

This recipe is a component of Grill-Roasted Rack of Lamb in Red Mole .

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