Brad A. Johnson
  • Blog
  • About
  • Photography
    • Food Photography
    • Travel Photography
    • Restaurant Photography
    • Hotel & Resort Photography
  • Writing
  • Contact
Brad A. Johnson

Food & Travel

Brad A Johnson
  • Blog
  • About
  • Photography
    • Food Photography
    • Travel Photography
    • Restaurant Photography
    • Hotel & Resort Photography
  • Writing
  • Contact

Is this Mexico’s Best Mole Poblano Recipe?

  • May 30, 2012
  • Brad A. Johnson
Mesones Sacristía in Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Mesones Sacristía in Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Mesones Sacristía in Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Mesones Sacristía in Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Ingredients for mole Poblano at Mesones Sacristía in Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Ingredients for mole Poblano at Mesones Sacristía in Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Chef Alonzo Hernández at Mesones Sacristía in Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Chef Alonzo Hernández at Mesones Sacristía in Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Mole Poblano at Mesones Sacristía in Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Mole Poblano at Mesones Sacristía in Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
El Popo volcano near Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
El Popo volcano near Puebla, Mexico (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)

I’ve taken dozens of cooking classes throughout the years in towns across Mexico. And among my favorites were two classes I encountered just last month, days apart. The first was in the town of Puebla at Mesones Sacristía, a quirky boutique hotel and restaurant where chef Alonzo Hernández showed me how to make mole poblano the way his grandmother taught him to make it. That’s what this post is about. (The second cooking class was in Punta Mita at the luxurious Four Seasons resort, where chefs Richard Sandoval and Philippe Piel sparked up the beachside grill for fresh octopus that had been pulled from the sea earlier that day by local fishermen. But that’s a story and recipe for a future post, coming soon.)

Located in Puebla’s historic core, Mesones Sacristía is an eclectic, eccentric hotel with only eight rooms, a former private residence built around a central courtyard. The courtyard was originally open air but is now covered with a glass roof, conservatory style. The restaurant consists of a handful of wobbly tables scattered around the courtyard, whose walls are painted hot pink, and tucked into a small alcove bar, with purple walls. The tables are set with beautiful blue-and-white Talevera plates from a local potter.

This was actually the second time I had taken a mole class at Mesones Sacristia. The first time was many years ago when I first stayed at the hotel and fell in love with Puebla. The chef back then was someone different. I don’t remember his name, nor do I remember much about his mole. Every cook in every kitchen in Puebla has a unique way of making mole. No two recipes are alike. And everyone’s is the best—or so they’ll tell you. But the new chef? The new recipe?

Hernandez’s version is absolutely incredible, the best mole poblano I’ve ever tasted. (And I’ve sampled quite a few over the years. I even served my own version when I was chef/partner in a restaurant in Texas, before I became a writer.) If my version had tasted anything like Hernandez’s, I’d probably be a famous restaurateur right now. Dark, smoky and complex, this mole unfolds across the tongue in a tightly orchestrated symphony of flavor: a bold blast of chiles, followed by a sly hint of clove, the mere echo of fennel, a suggestion of garlic. There’s a constant undercurrent, a curious tang of charred tortillas. The chocolate adds a softness rather than any distinguishable flavor. I licked my plate clean. And I can’t wait to make it again.

Mole Poblano

Chef Alonzo Hernández
Mesones Sacristía, Puebla, Mexico

Oil, as needed for frying
3 Mulato chiles
3 Ancho chiles
3 Pasilla chiles
6 Roma tomatoes
1 Onion, quartered
2 Garlic cloves, peeled
6 cups Water, divided
1/4 cup Raisins
1/4 cup Almonds
1/4 tsp Fennel seeds
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 Tbsp Sesame seeds, toasted
2 sticks of Cinnamon
1 Plantain, fully ripened, peeled, cut in half
2 Corn tortillas
1 Cup raw sugar
3.3 oz (one disk) Ibarra chocolate
Chicken, roasted or grilled
Additional toasted sesame seeds, garnish

1. In a skillet layered with oil, fry the plantain until golden; reserve.

2. Using tongs, hold the tortillas over a gas flame and let them slowly catch fire and burn until crisp and black.

3. Transfer the plantain and tortillas to a blender and puree until smooth, adding a little water as necessary to achieve a smooth, creamy consistency. Reserve.

4. In the same skillet, quickly flash-fry the chiles until they become soft and fragrant, just a few seconds each. Reserve.

5. Heat a comal or dry cast-iron skillet or griddle until extremely hot and cook the tomatoes, onion and garlic until fully blistered and charred on all sides. Do not use oil; simply add the vegetables straight to the dry, hot surface and let them smolder. The vegetables should still be firm but fully charred.

6. In a large pot, bring about 5 cups of water to a boil. Add the fried chiles and the charred vegetables along with the raisins, almonds, fennel, cumin, coriander, cloves, pepper, sesame seeds and cinnamon. Boil until the vegetables are completely soft.

7. Working in batches, transfer the vegetable mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. (Be careful when pureeing hot mixtures, as the volume will expand when the blender is turned on; fill no more than halfway.) Strain the sauce through a medium sieve and discard any solids.

8. In a large skillet or pot, heat some oil until very hot. Carefully add the tomato/chile puree to the hot oil and fry until the oil and sauce have fully incorporated and thickened. Reduce the heat and add the reserved plantain puree, mixing well. Then add the chocolate and sugar (to taste), stirring constantly until the chocolate is fully melted and the sugar completely incorporated. Allow to simmer over low heat for another 20 to 25 minutes. The sauce is now ready, but it will be even better tomorrow.

Cook your chicken however you like it. At Mesones Sacristia, the chef bakes it very simply, without the skin, seasoned only with salt and pepper. Return the mole to a simmer, then add the cooked chicken, tossing to coat well. Serve with additional sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

This article was originally published in Mexico Today.

For more travel inspiration and photos, I invite you to follow me and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

 

Share
Tweet
Brad A. Johnson

Brad A. Johnson is a writer and photographer specializing in food and travel. His work has been honored by the James Beard Awards, Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards, World Food Media Awards, pdn Food Photography Awards and others. Based in Southern California, Brad currently serves as restaurant critic for the Orange County Register.

Previous Article

Quick Look: Restaurant 1833, Monterey CA

  • May 29, 2012
  • Brad A. Johnson
View Post
Next Article

How to Cook an Octopus, Mexico-Style

  • June 24, 2012
  • Brad A. Johnson
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • California Restaurants
  • Travel: Culinary
  • Travel: United States

Quick Look: Niner Wine Estates, Paso Robles

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • August 15, 2020
View Post
  • Travel: Culinary
  • Travel: United States

Blackbird, Chicago 1997 – 2020 (RIP)

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • July 3, 2020
View Post
  • Travel: Adventure
  • Travel: Australia
  • Travel: Culinary

Australia’s Winter Truffles are in Season. Get Some While You Can!

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • June 17, 2020
View Post
  • Travel: Asia
  • Travel: Culinary

The Disappearing Art and Rhythm of Chinese Tea in Hong Kong

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • April 27, 2020
photo by Brad A. Johnson
View Post
  • Travel: Culinary
  • Travel: India

Cocktail Recipe: Jasmine Sour Martini from Taj Falaknuma Palace

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • April 11, 2020
View Post
  • Travel: Culinary
  • Travel: Mexico

10-Second Review: El Tizoncito, Mexico City

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • October 5, 2019
View Post
  • Travel: Culinary
  • Travel: Mexico

10-Second Review: Chetito, Mexico City

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • October 1, 2019
View Post
  • Travel: Mexico
  • Travel: Spas

Hotel Review: Cala de Mar, Ixtapa, Mexico

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • September 13, 2019
I've eaten too many reuben sandwiches in my lifetime to even venture a guess as to the actual number. I've eaten reubens in old Jewish delis, five-star hotels and roadside diners. But I never really thought about where this sandwich was originally conceived. Any guesses? ⁠⁠ 73 7
Craving a weekend in Chicago. ⁠⁠#FBF 54 1
Look what I made! Sort of. It came in the mail, and I assembled it. Bone marrow and short rib agnolotti. ⁠⁠Focaccia w lemon olive oil. 86 2
When's the last time you ordered fried chicken and waffles by mail? I ordered this meal kit from chef Marcus Samuelsson's Red Rooster/Streetbird in Harlem. It arrived overnight. I popped it in the oven. Outrageously delicious. ⁠⁠ 163 6
Thank you, North American Travel Journalists Association for these incredible honors today: ⁠⁠ 115 19
Dim sum takeout from EMC Seafood in Irvine. Story online today @ocregister⁠⁠ 99 0
Brad A. Johnson
  • Blog
  • About
  • Photography
  • Writing
  • Contact
Writer. Photographer. Traveler. Restaurant Critic.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.