Moles come in various flavors and colors. Many recipes for mole are out there but the common ingredient is Chili Peppers. Classic Mole Sauce is called Mole Poblano that may be dark red or a brown color and is usually served over Chicken, Turkey or Pork. Usually Mole is made of Chili Peppers, Spices, Seeds, Nuts, Fruit, Toasted or burnt Bread and or Tortillas and a little chocolate. Traditional Mole Sauce can take a few days to prepare and usually will contain FOURTY or more ingredients. I added a few non-traditional ingredients to my Mole and that is why I’m calling this mole Non-Traditional Pumpkin Mole. I used fresh roasted Pumpkin and dates in addition to other usual Mole ingredients. I took liberties with the cinnamon and the anise seeds since they accent pumpkin so well.  Only two things that I would do different are that I’d put the sesame seeds in a food processor or spice grinder next time so they’d be smooth. You do need to know that mole doesn’t have to be smooth….I just prefer the smooth style. The other thing I might do different is to add mulato chili pods to the recipe. I didn’t have them so I went without but I assure you that I added plenty of peppers. I can’t say for sure how I’d change up the other ingredients if I used mulato chili pods so your on your own if you add mulato. I’m very pleased with the way it came out. I thought it went well with chicken but I think the sauce actually popped more when I served it over turkey breast that I pan fried in a pan. I served it very heavy over the chicken pictured because one of my favorite Mexican Restaurants serves it that way. They serve it that way with rice and tortillas on the side.

Ingredients for about Eleven Servings

3 oz guajillo chili pods (washed off, soaked a few minutes, stem and seeds removed)

2 oz pasilla chili pods (washed off, soaked a few minutes, stem and seeds removed)

non- stick spray ( canola or vegetable )

1/4 cup peanuts

1/4 cup pepitas

1/4 cup sesame seeds

3/4 teaspoon anise seeds

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 sweet onions – chopped fine

1 cup dates – chopped – small

2 cup pumpkin – cooked and mashed

1/4 cup chipotle chiles in adobo

1 lb poblano peppers – (about 4 large) – roasted -remove stem and seeds and chopped small

4 garlic cloves chopped fine

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 Tablespoon coriander

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 cup masa

2 cup vegetable stock

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon salt

1 oz Mexican Chocolate

Directions

Set your oven to 400 degrees F on roast.

Spray your baking sheet(s) and in a single layer lay out the guajillo and pasilla chilies. leave in oven until very fragrant (the peppers I had got that way in eight minutes)

Remove the pods from the baking sheet and boil them in water. (just use enough water to cover the chilies)  Then reduce to a simmer for about an hour.

Use immersion blender and blend them up as smooth as you can. Then strain the mixture. Use a spoon to squish out everything you can get out of it.

Set the strained mixture to the side and throw out the stuff left behind in the strainer.

In your sauce pot on medium heat and toast up the nuts, seeds, spices for about three minutes or until the pepitas and sesame seeds turn toasted looking. Put them on the side.

In your pot add onions and garlic and sauce till lightly browned.

add pumpkin, poblanos, tomato paste.

Add the seeds and nuts back to the pot.

Start blending.

Add masa.

Blend

Add stock

Blend

Stir and Blend….stir and blend…after about 1/2 an hour add the chili pod mixture. Stir and blend for about ten minutes and reduce the heat to simmer.

When you think it’s about done add the chocolate.

Stir and blend some more.

Take off heat and enjoy! Freeze leftovers.

Complex flavors with heat that you don’t get at first. Great for pouring over chicken, turkey or pork. I think it goes especially well with turkey breast.