Recipe: Secret Mole Negro (Duck Version)
Turn your favorite takeout into an easy, quick, and delicious weeknight meal! Chef Terrell Manning, private chef and author of The Love Languages of Food, shares his recipe for the Chef’s Secret Mole Negro (Duck Version).
- Chile & Spice Base: Toast the seeded chiles briefly before soaking, and dry-toast the whole spices until fragrant to unlock deep, smoky complexity without introducing bitterness.
- Char & Fry: Caramelize the vegetables, then fry the bread, tortillas, plantain, raisins, and nuts in duck fat to build rich sweetness and create a natural thickening base.
- Blend & Initial Cook: Puree the chiles, vegetables, fried mixture, spices, seasoning, and stock until smooth, then cook the paste in duck fat for 60 minutes to darken and concentrate the flavors.
- Slow Simmer & Finish: Stir in the remaining stock, dark chocolate, piloncillo, vanilla, and vinegar, then simmer gently for 4 hours before folding in the shredded duck confit to absorb the sauce.
Method
Yield: About 2 quarts (16–20 servings)
Dried Chiles
- 6 ancho chiles
- 6 pasilla chiles
- 4 mulato chiles
- 2 guajillo chiles
- 2 chipotle meco chiles
Nuts & Seeds
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- ¼ cup pepitas
- ¼ cup almonds
- ¼ cup peanuts
Vegetables
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- 1 tomatillo
Fruit
- ½ ripe plantain
- ¼ cup raisins
Bread
- 2 corn tortillas
- 1 slice rustic bread
Spices
- 2 cinnamon sticks (Mexican canela preferred)
- 6 whole cloves
- 8 black peppercorns
- 1 tsp cumin seed
- 1 tsp coriander seed
- 1 tsp anise seed
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
Sweet & Savory
- 2 oz Mexican dark chocolate (70–80%)
- 1 tbsp piloncillo
- 2 tbsp Mexican vanilla
Liquid
- 6 cups rich roasted duck stock
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
Fat
- 2–3 tbsp rendered duck fat
Chef’s Secret Seasoning
- 2 tbsp Chef’s Secret Seasoning
Duck Confit
- 2 duck legs, confit cooked, skin removed and meat shredded
Directions
1. Toast the Chiles
Remove stems and seeds.
Toast each chile for 5–10 seconds per side until fragrant. Do not burn them.
Soak in hot water for 20 minutes.
2. Char the Vegetables
Roast the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and tomatillo until deeply caramelized.
3. Fry the Components
Using duck fat, lightly fry:
- tortillas
- bread
- plantain
- raisins
- almonds
- peanuts
- pepitas
Cook each until lightly golden.
4. Toast the Spices
Toast all whole spices in a dry pan for about 2 minutes until aromatic.
5. Blend
Combine in a high-powered blender:
- soaked chiles
- roasted vegetables
- fried components
- toasted spices
- Chef’s Secret Seasoning
- half of the duck stock
Blend until completely smooth.
6. Cook the Mole
Heat 2 tablespoons duck fat in a heavy rondeau or Dutch oven.
Add the puree and cook over medium-low heat for 60 minutes, stirring frequently until the mole darkens and the flavors concentrate.
7. Finish
Add:
- remaining duck stock
- chocolate
- piloncillo
- vanilla
- sherry vinegar
Simmer gently for 4 hours , stirring occasionally.
Fold in the shredded duck confit during the last 10 minutes of cooking so the meat absorbs the sauce while maintaining its texture.
Adjust seasoning if needed.
The finished mole should be rich, glossy, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.