Mole Castellano
Submitted by gritsalaska
Mole Castellano: a Spanish-style Mexican mole with four nuts, ancho chiles, and sesame seeds, simmered with turkey. A classic colonial-era mole without chocolate.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsNot all mole is the chocolate-heavy Oaxacan kind. Mole Castellano is the lighter, Spanish-influenced cousin born in colonial Mexico, featuring toasted nuts and sesame as the thickening agents rather than chocolate and seeds. The result is complex and deeply nutty but slightly brighter and more elegant.
The nut quartet matters. Almonds, pine nuts, filberts (hazelnuts), and walnuts each bring a different flavor and texture: almonds for backbone, pine nuts for buttery richness, hazelnuts for warmth, walnuts for earthy depth. A single nut just doesn’t carry the same complexity.
Ancho chiles are the only dried chile in this mole, which is why it’s gentler than typical mole negro. Their mild fruitiness balances the nut richness without aggressive heat, producing a sauce you can spoon in generous pourings.
The technique is classic. Poach the turkey first, then blend the nuts with prepared chiles, garlic, tomato, and coriander into a coarse puree. Fry the puree in lard to bloom the spices, then thin with reserved turkey stock to heavy-cream consistency. The turkey finishes in the sauce, absorbing flavor as it simmers tender.
Serve with warm tortillas, rice, or crusty bread to catch every drop.
Chef Tips
- Toast the nuts lightly before blending; raw nuts give flat flavor in a reduced sauce
- Strain the turkey stock before adding; stray fat and herbs will make the sauce gritty
- Cook the puree in lard at least 5 full minutes; under-cooked nut pastes taste raw
- Heavy-cream consistency is the target; thin with more stock if it reduces past that point
- Lard is traditional for a reason, its flavor rounds out the sauce; substitute bacon fat or butter if needed
Variations
- Swap turkey for chicken pieces; reduce initial poaching to 40 minutes
- Add ¼ cup sliced toasted almonds as a garnish for texture
- Stir in a teaspoon of canela (Mexican cinnamon) for extra warmth
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the chiles as described above in the recipe for Mole Poblano Picante.
Place the turkey pieces in a flameproof casserole with a cover; add the stock and bouquet garni.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 hour, or until almost tender.
Remove from heat, and cool the turkey in the stock.
Place all the nuts, the sesame seeds, garlic, tomato, coriander seed, and prepared chiles in the electric blender, and reduce to a coarse puree.
Heat the lard in a skillet, and cook the purée for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove the turkey from the casserole, and strain the stock.
Add the stock and sugar to the puree. Taste for seasoning.
Rinse out the casserole; return the turkey and cover with the sauce.
Cook over a very low heat until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork (about 15 minutes), and the sauce has the consistency of heavy cream.
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