Ancho and Chipotle Mole

Ingredients

• 2 large ancho chiles 
• 2.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
• 1  cinnamon sticks 
• 1.5 teaspoons cumin seeds 
• 2  chipotle sauce dried
• 10  garlic cloves thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin
• 2  bell peppers red
• 60 servings salt 
• 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 1.5 cups water boiling

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• blender
• broiler

Directions

1. In a bowl, cover the anchos and chipotles with the boiling water.
2. Let soak for 30 minutes, until softened.
3. Drain, reserving the liquid. Discard the stems, cores and seeds; coarsely chop the chiles.
4. Preheat the broiler or light a gas flame. Char the peppers for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred all over.
5. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover with plastic and let steam for 5 minutes. Peel the peppers and discard the skin, stems and seeds, then coarsely chop.
6. In a small dry skillet, toast the cloves, cumin and cinnamon stick over moderately low heat until darkened and fragrant, 1 1/2 minutes.
7. Let cool. Grind to a powder in a spice grinder.
8. Transfer to a plate.
9. Add the sunflower seeds to the skillet and toast, shaking the pan a few times, about 3 minutes.
10. Let cool.
11. Transfer the seeds to the grinder; finely grind.
12. Heat the oil in a medium skillet.
13. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until golden, about 3 minutes.
14. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until glossy, about 2 minutes.
15. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted.
16. In a blender, combine the chiles and their soaking liquid with the bell peppers, the ground spices, the ground sunflower seeds and the garlic mixture and blend until smooth. Scrape the mole into a large bowl and season with salt.
17. Transfer the sauce to jars and refrigerate.
18. Make Ahead: The sauce can be refrigerated for 3 weeks.