Chicken Mole

Mole (rhymes with olé) is a rich Mexican sauce of unsweetened chocolate, chile, and spice. It comes in countless variations. At the erstwhile Cafe Poca Cosa in Tucson, pollo en pipian was boneless chicken cosseted in mole made from bitter chocolate, crushed red chilies, Spanish peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and cloves. Pollo mole amarillo included almonds and sesame seeds. Taqueria El Patron in Augusta, Georgia, makes mole that is so dark it’s nearly black: vividly smoky and just sweet enough to remind you that chocolate is its essence. Las Vegas’ Las Cazuelas serves enchiladas de mole poblano, in which not-too-sweet chocolate and smoky chile sing harmony.