Mole with Chicken, Pork, and Pineapple (Manchamanteles de Cerdo y Pollo)

Manchamanteles, a spicy, stewlike dish from Mexico, is considered to be one of the seven classic moles of Oaxaca. This recipe is based on one in Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico by SAVEUR consulting editor Rick Bayless (William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1987).

Serves
serves 4

Ingredients

6 medium dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and halved
5 Tbsp. lard
1 small white onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, halved
1 lb. lean boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2" cubes and patted dry
2 bone-in chicken breast halves (about 1 1⁄4 lbs.), halved cross-wise and patted dry
3 black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
1 (1⁄2"-long) piece canela (Mexican cinnamon) or cinnamon stick
2 (1⁄2"-thick) slices firm white bread, torn into small pieces
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
Salt
¹⁄₂ large ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 1⁄2" cubes
1 ripe medium plantain, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 ¹⁄₂ Tbsp. sugar

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Instructions

Step 1

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, toast chiles on both sides, pressing them down with a metal spatula, until aromatic, about 1 1⁄2 minutes. Transfer chiles to a large bowl, cover with boiling water, weight down with a plate, and let soak, 30 minutes. Drain.

Step 2

Heat 4 tbsp. of the lard in the skillet over medium-low. Add onions and fry until softened, 5–6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until onions are golden brown, about 18–20 minutes. Remove onions and garlic from skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer to a blender, leaving lard in the skillet. Increase heat to medium, add pork, and cook, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, 12–14 minutes. Transfer pork to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside. Add chicken to the skillet and cook, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to plate with pork and set aside. Reserve skillet with any remaining lard.

Step 3

Put peppercorns, cloves, and canela into a mortar and crush with a pestle to a powder. Transfer spices to a blender. Add 1 cup water, drained chiles, and bread and blend until smooth, 2–3 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on solids with the back of a spoon. Discard solids.

Step 4

Heat reserved skillet over medium heat, carefully add chile mixture, and fry, stirring constantly, until thickened, 4–5 minutes. Transfer chile mixture to a large heavy pot. Add pork, 2 cups water, vinegar, and salt to taste and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until pork is very tender, about 2 1⁄2 hours. Add chicken and pineapple and cook, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, melt remaining lard in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry plantains, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer plantains to the mole and stir to combine. Add sugar and salt to taste and continue to cook for 10 minutes more. Serve with corn tortillas, if you like.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, toast chiles on both sides, pressing them down with a metal spatula, until aromatic, about 1 1⁄2 minutes. Transfer chiles to a large bowl, cover with boiling water, weight down with a plate, and let soak, 30 minutes. Drain.
Heat 4 tbsp. of the lard in the skillet over medium-low. Add onions and fry until softened, 5–6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until onions are golden brown, about 18–20 minutes. Remove onions and garlic from skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer to a blender, leaving lard in the skillet. Increase heat to medium, add pork, and cook, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, 12–14 minutes. Transfer pork to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside. Add chicken to the skillet and cook, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to plate with pork and set aside. Reserve skillet with any remaining lard.
Put peppercorns, cloves, and canela into a mortar and crush with a pestle to a powder. Transfer spices to a blender. Add 1 cup water, drained chiles, and bread and blend until smooth, 2–3 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on solids with the back of a spoon. Discard solids.
Heat reserved skillet over medium heat, carefully add chile mixture, and fry, stirring constantly, until thickened, 4–5 minutes. Transfer chile mixture to a large heavy pot. Add pork, 2 cups water, vinegar, and salt to taste and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until pork is very tender, about 2 1⁄2 hours. Add chicken and pineapple and cook, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt remaining lard in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry plantains, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer plantains to the mole and stir to combine. Add sugar and salt to taste and continue to cook for 10 minutes more. Serve with corn tortillas, if you like.

Recipes

Mole with Chicken, Pork, and Pineapple (Manchamanteles de Cerdo y Pollo)

Name: Mole with Chicken, Pork, and Pineapple (Manchamanteles de Cerdo y Pollo)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 6 medium dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and halved; 5 Tbsp. lard; 1 small white onion, chopped; 5 cloves garlic, halved; 1 lb. lean boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2" cubes and patted dry; 2 bone-in chicken breast halves (about 1 1⁄4 lbs.), halved cross-wise and patted dry; 3 black peppercorns; 2 whole cloves; 1 (1⁄2"-long) piece canela (Mexican cinnamon) or cinnamon stick; 2 (1⁄2"-thick) slices firm white bread, torn into small pieces; 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar; Salt; 1 ⁄ 2 large ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 1⁄2" cubes; 1 ripe medium plantain, peeled and cut into 1" cubes; 1 1 ⁄ 2 Tbsp. sugar

Serves
serves 4

SAVEUR

Ingredients

6 medium dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and halved
5 Tbsp. lard
1 small white onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, halved
1 lb. lean boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2" cubes and patted dry
2 bone-in chicken breast halves (about 1 1⁄4 lbs.), halved cross-wise and patted dry
3 black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
1 (1⁄2"-long) piece canela (Mexican cinnamon) or cinnamon stick
2 (1⁄2"-thick) slices firm white bread, torn into small pieces
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
Salt
¹⁄₂ large ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 1⁄2" cubes
1 ripe medium plantain, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 ¹⁄₂ Tbsp. sugar

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Instructions

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, toast chiles on both sides, pressing them down with a metal spatula, until aromatic, about 1 1⁄2 minutes. Transfer chiles to a large bowl, cover with boiling water, weight down with a plate, and let soak, 30 minutes. Drain.
Heat 4 tbsp. of the lard in the skillet over medium-low. Add onions and fry until softened, 5–6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until onions are golden brown, about 18–20 minutes. Remove onions and garlic from skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer to a blender, leaving lard in the skillet. Increase heat to medium, add pork, and cook, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, 12–14 minutes. Transfer pork to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside. Add chicken to the skillet and cook, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to plate with pork and set aside. Reserve skillet with any remaining lard.
Put peppercorns, cloves, and canela into a mortar and crush with a pestle to a powder. Transfer spices to a blender. Add 1 cup water, drained chiles, and bread and blend until smooth, 2–3 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on solids with the back of a spoon. Discard solids.
Heat reserved skillet over medium heat, carefully add chile mixture, and fry, stirring constantly, until thickened, 4–5 minutes. Transfer chile mixture to a large heavy pot. Add pork, 2 cups water, vinegar, and salt to taste and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until pork is very tender, about 2 1⁄2 hours. Add chicken and pineapple and cook, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt remaining lard in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry plantains, turning often, until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer plantains to the mole and stir to combine. Add sugar and salt to taste and continue to cook for 10 minutes more. Serve with corn tortillas, if you like.