Amy LaBelle’s Red Wine Mole Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 corn tortillas, cut in 1 inch strips
• 5 tomatillos, cut in half crosswise
• 2 tomatoes, cut in half crosswise
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ¼ cup raisins
• 1 cup LaBelle Winery Americus Red Wine
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground clove
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 5 ounces dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

Directions

1. Toast chipotle, guajillo, and ancho chiles in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until warm and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a blender.
   
2. Heat 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup red wine in a saucepan until it begins to simmer, about 5 minutes. Add to the blender.
   
3. Toast bread crumbs and tortilla strips in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the blender with chicken broth and chiles.
   
4. Allow chiles, toasted bread, and tortillas to soak in the chicken broth until softened, about 10 minutes. Blend the mixture until smooth.
   
5. Cook tomatillos and tomatoes in a dry skillet on medium-high heat until soft and blackened, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add tomatoes in the blender.
   
6. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, raisins, cumin seeds, thyme, allspice, clove, and cinnamon; cook and stir until onions are soft and golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Add onion mixture to the blender and blend until smooth.
   
7. Pour puree into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1 cup chicken broth, chocolate, salt and maple or honey. Bring mixture to a simmer and stir until chocolate is melted and sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, 10 to 15 minutes.