Recipe of the week: A Mexican-style harvest feast

My husband and I own a small vineyard in California’s Santa Ynez Valley, said Sandy Hill in her new cookbook, Fandango (Artisan). On the last day of the harvest, we “honor the workers, many of whom are Mexican,” with a traditional feast that includes grilled chorizo, shredded beef with red chilies, and braised chicken in mole sauce. Although there are numerous regional variations on this richly spiced, complex sauce, the one most familiar to

Americans is the Oaxacan one with chocolate. Leftovers will “last and last.”

Recipe of the week

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Braised Chicken With Oaxacan Chocolate Mole Sauce

5 ancho chilies

3 dried New Mexico or guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded

2 dried chilies negros, stemmed and seeded

1/3 cup sesame seeds, plus 1 tbsp for garnish

3/4 tsp anise seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

2 cloves

12 black peppercorns

One 1/2-inch cinnamon stick

5 tbsp lard or vegetable shortening

2-1/2 tbsp raisins

20 whole almonds

1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 corn tortilla, quartered

5 medium plum tomatoes

5 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 small onion, quartered

5 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

3-1/4 oz Mexican chocolate, coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Two 3- to 4-lb chickens, cut into 8 pieces each

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

In medium bowl, cover chili peppers with hot water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in large skillet, combine 1/3 cup sesame seeds with anise, cumin, coriander, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick. Toast over moderately low heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to spice grinder, let cool completely. Grind seeds and spices to fine powder. In same skillet, melt 1 tbsp lard. Stir in raisins, almonds, pumpkin seeds, tortilla. Cook mixture over moderately low heat until almonds are toasted and raisins are plump, about 5 minutes. Transfer contents of skillet to large bowl.

Add tomatoes to skillet and cook, turning, until skins are lightly blistered on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer blistered tomatoes to bowl. Add garlic and onion to skillet and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer garlic and onions to bowl and let cool. Empty vegetables onto work surface. Peel garlic cloves; coarsely chop along with onions and tomatoes. Melt 1 tbsp lard in skillet. Stir in chopped vegetables and spice powder, cook over moderately high heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add drained chilies and chicken stock; cover partially, simmer 1 hour. Remove from heat. Working in batches, transfer contents of skillet along with chocolate to blender; purée until smooth. Season mole sauce

with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt

remaining 3 tbsp lard in large, ovenproof skillet. Working in two batches, brown chicken over high heat, turning once, about 10 minutes per batch. Pour mole sauce over chicken, bring to simmer. Cover and braise in oven until meat is very tender, about one hour. Transfer chicken mole to serving platter; garnish with remaining 1 tbsp sesame seeds and cilantro and serve.

Serves 10.