Ayocote Beans in Mole Sauce

Adapted from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen

makes 7 cups
12 ounces (about 2 cups) dry Ayocote Beans
2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, to taste, divided
5 medium dried ancho chilies (2 1/2 ounces), stemmed and seeded
6 medium dried guajillo chilies (1 1/4 ounces), stemmed and seeded
1 morita (chipotle) chile, stemmed and seeded
6 ounces (1 medium to small or 2 small plum) tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 generous teaspoon dried mexican oregano
Scant 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
3 tablespoons (about 3/4 ounces) coarsely chopped Mexican chocolate or bittersweet chocolate if thats all you can find
3 to 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar, to taste 

Use the method of your choice in our definitive guide to cooking beans. Leave out the aromatics and just cook the Ayocote Beans simply with salted water. 

Toasting the chiles: Heat a dry heavy skillet over medium heat.  Lay a chile flat and press with a metal spatula for a few seconds, until there is a crackle or perhaps a thin wisp of smoke.  Turn and toast the other side.  Repeat with the remaining chiles.  Transfer the toasted chilies to a medium bowl, cover with hot water, and allow the chiles to rehydrate for about 30 minutes.  Drain and discard the water.

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for a minute or so until they start to pop.  Scrape into a blender jar.

Dry roast the garlic and tomato in the skillet, turning occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until soft and blackened in spots.  Cool slightly, peel off the skins of the tomato and garlic, and transfer to a blender, along with the rehydrated chilies, cinnamon, oregano, pepper, chocolate, and 1 1/2 cups of broth.  Process until smooth.  Strain through a medium-mesh strainer.

Heat the oil in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan over medium-high.  Once the oil is hot enough to make a drop of the puree sizzle, add the puree all at once and stir for 3-4 minutes, until it’s thickened a bit.  Add 1 1/2 cups of broth, stir, partially cover, and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.  Taste and season with salt, usually about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons, and the sugar.

Stir the drained beans into the mole.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, which will allow the beans to absorb the flavors, adding more broth if necessary to give a smooth consistency.  Taste for salt and serve with tortillas, some chopped green onions and radish. It's amazing with a fried egg and a sprinkle of cilantro! 

*A Note On Our Recipes:

Every recipe here was developed and tested using farm-fresh beans from Foodocracy and Primary Beans. Older beans, anything past a year in your pantry or beans from other sources may need more coaxing. Give them a soak and add extra cooking time, and they'll get there eventually.

Ayocote Beans in Mole Sauce

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Category

Main Course

Cuisine

Mexican

Adapted from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen

Ingredients

Makes 7 cups

• 12 ounces (about 2 cups) dry Ayocote Beans

• 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, to taste, divided

• 5 medium dried ancho chilies (2 1/2 ounces), stemmed and seeded

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• 6 medium dried guajillo chilies (1 1/4 ounces), stemmed and seeded

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• 1 morita (chipotle) chile, stemmed and seeded

• 6 ounces (1 medium to small or 2 small plum) tomatoes

• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

• 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 generous teaspoon dried mexican oregano

• Scant 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground

• 3 tablespoons (about 3/4 ounces) coarsely chopped Mexican chocolate or bittersweet chocolate if thats all you can find

• 3 to 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

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• 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar, to taste 

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Directions

1. Rinse the Ayocote beans and cook them in salted water using your preferred method (such as stovetop, pressure cooker, or slow cooker). Leave out aromatics—just beans, water, and salt. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat. Press each dried chile flat with a metal spatula until it crackles or emits a wisp of smoke. Flip and toast the other side. Place toasted chiles in a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 30 minutes. Drain and discard the soaking water.

3. In the same skillet, toast sesame seeds until they pop—about 1 minute. Transfer to a blender.

4. Dry roast the whole tomato and unpeeled garlic cloves in the skillet, turning occasionally, for 10–15 minutes until blackened in spots. Let cool slightly, then peel

5. To the blender with the sesame seeds, add the peeled tomato and garlic, rehydrated chiles, cinnamon, oregano, black pepper, chocolate, and 1½ cups of broth. Blend until smooth. Strain the mixture through a medium-mesh strainer.

6. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the blended puree and stir for 3–4 minutes until thickened slightly. Add another 1½ cups broth, partially cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and sugar to taste.

7. Stir the cooked beans into the mole sauce. Simmer together for 20 minutes so the flavors meld. Add more broth if needed to achieve your desired consistency. Adjust salt to taste.

8. Serve warm with tortillas, topped with green onions, radishes, and optionally, a fried egg and cilantro.

Recipe Note

Every recipe here was developed and tested using farm-fresh beans from Foodocracy and Primary Beans. Older beans, anything past a year in your pantry, or beans from other sources may need more coaxing. Give them a soak and add extra cooking time, and they'll get there eventually.