Recipe: Turkey Mole featuring a Dark Chocolate Balsamic Twist

Recipe by Rachel Bradley of Veronica Foods. Serves 6.

Ingredients:

• 2 pound boneless skinless turkey breast cut into “turkey tenders”
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 sprig fresh oregano
• ¼ cup packed chopped cilantro
• Mexican rice, accompaniment
• Chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
• corn tortillas on the side

Mole Sauce:

• 8 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 4 dried pasilla chilies
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 5 tablespoons Sigona’s Chipotle Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
• 3 black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 corn tortilla, torn into small pieces
• 1/3 cup Sigona’s Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a large pot, place the turkey, quartered onion, garlic, oregano, and cilantro. Cover with water by 2 inches and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the turkey is just cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes.  Reserve the poaching liquid. In a large heavy dry skillet, toast the chilies to a deep brown color over medium-high heat, turning, 1 to 2 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with hot stock, and soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Puree the mixture, adding poaching liquid as necessary, to consistently blend.

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of Chipotle Olive Oil over medium-high heat. Add the toasted pumpkin seeds. Stir until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and add to the blender with the chilies. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and starting to color, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the cinnamon and coriander seeds and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add to the blender. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the tortilla pieces, and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add to the blender with enough of the chili soaking liquid (or chicken stock) to puree to a paste. To the skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the paste and simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of chicken stock, the Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar, salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cook, stirring, to incorporate. Add the cooked Turkey and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, adding more stock, as needed, if the sauce becomes too thick, while basting the turkey occasionally as it cooks. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.

To serve, spoon the rice into the center of a large platter. Arrange the turkey and sauce over the top, garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve with hot corn tortillas.