I know, I know, I’m always bugging you to steer clear of easy-peasy recipes that use food products loaded with crummy ingredients.
That’s why when I saw this recipe for an easy mole sauce with just a few real ingredients, I knew I had to share it.
Anyone who has ever made a traditional mole sauce knows it involves many ingredients. (I just looked up one I have and it calls for 30 ingredients.)
This one, from the California Dried Plum Board, is so much shorter, but just as complex in flavor. The sauce’s few ingredients are all good for you, too. The recipe calls for the mole sauce to be served over grilled chicken, but it would work just as well with pork or beef. (FYI, you might know dried plums by their former name, prunes.)
If you make double the amount of grilled chicken earlier in the week, save half. (Better yet, grill the portion you are saving sprinkled with chile powder.) Top it with this sauce and it’s a whole ’nother meal.
The next time I make it, I am going to put it over chicken in a slow cooker. That’ll make another quick dinner one night soon.
Easy mole sauce
Makes about 1¾ cups
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup pitted California dried plums (about 3 ounces)
4 canned chipotles in adobo, rinsed and seeded
½ cup toasted slivered almonds
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate
Salt, as needed
In saucepan, bring broth and dried plums to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let sit 15 minutes. With slotted spoon, remove half the dried plums; reserve for garnish. In blender, puree remaining dried plums, broth, chipotles and ¼ cup of the almonds (use remaining almonds as a garnish). Return mixture to saucepan; add chocolate. Stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Season with salt. (Mole can be kept warm, or refrigerated and reheated as needed.)
From California Dried Plum Board
Note: Recipe adjusted to note almonds that were left over should be used as the garnish.
