Mexican Mole Sauce

LOVE this sauce!!!  It's particularly good with chicken enchiladas. (And it's "Mo-lay", not the ugly dirty little animal!  I don't have a font with the little accent mark over the "e").  :)


Makes 7 cups

1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 chipotle peppers, canned in adobo or jarred, roasted (2=mild, 3=medium, 4=HOT)
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp almond butter (or peanut butter)
1 small box (1-2 oz.) raisins
2-1/2 heaping Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp ground cumin
5 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp garlic powder
4 tsp unrefined sea salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp sucanat (or other natural sugar)
2 cups water (substitute chicken stock, if available)
1 small square dark chocolate (or 1 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips)

In small saute pan, over med-low heat, toast sesame seeds (dry), stirring constantly, until golden, 3-5 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.
In large saute pan with tall sides, or stock pot, over med. heat, melt butter and saute onions and garlic until fragrant.  Add chipotle peppers, tomatoes, and almond butter;  stir to combine.  Add raisins and next 9 ingredients (dry seasonings).  Cook about 5 minutes.  Transfer to blender.  Add half of toasted sesame seeds, reserving the other half for garnish, and the water/chicken stock.  Blend until very smooth, and return to pan over med. heat.  Bring to a bubble, and reduce heat to simmer, stirring almost constantly about 20-25 minutes or until reduced, darkened, and thickened to a cream sauce-like consistency.  (If it gets too thick, thin out a bit with water or stock).  Stir in dark chocolate until melted.