This sweet mole is drawn from a historical recipe by the famed 17th-century nun and writer Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Many of Sor Juana’s writings have been published as great works of poetry and philosophy, but she also left a collection of 36 recipes. Read more in Cooking with LACMA: The Kitchens of New Spain on LACMA Unframed.

"Chiles desvenados y remojados de un día para otro, molidos con ajonjolí tostado y frito todo en manteca, echarás el agua necesaria, la gallina, rebanadas de plátano, de camote, manzana y su sal necesaria.” / “Devein the chiles and soak overnight, grind with toasted sesame seeds and fry all together in lard, adding as much water as needed, the chicken, slices of banana, sweet potato, apple and salt as needed.” - Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

For the chicken: 
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt

For the manchamanteles: 
4 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
1/2 cup sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
grapeseed oil or lard
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 ripe Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup raisins
1 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 apple, peeled and cubed
2 slices pineapple, cored and cubed
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons sugar
salt

Poach the chicken. Arrange the chicken in a pot. Add the bay leaf, garlic, and salt. Cover with water by an inch or so. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as the water comes to a bowl, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer. The chicken is cooked through when opaque through the middle and thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers at 165° F. Depending on the thickness of the meat, it will be cooked through in 10 to 14 minutes.

Transfer the chicken from the poaching liquid to a cutting board. Slice and cover to keep warm. Skim the froth from the poaching liquid and set aside.

Make the manchamanteles. Stem and deseed the chiles and place in a bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let sit until fully rehydrated.

In a dry skillet set over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until lightly browned and aromatic. Be careful not to burn them. Place in a blender. (If using toasted sesame seeds, omit this step.)

In the same dry skillet, brown the garlic, onion and tomatoes. Add to the blender.

Place the sweet potato in a saucepan with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the apple and cook another 2 minutes or so. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet and fry the sliced plantains until golden brown.

Place the rehydrated chiles in the blender.

Add the sweet potato, apples, plantains, pineapple, raisins, cloves, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and broth to the blender. Puree until smooth.

Heat about 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven and carefully add the puree. Bring to a simmer, add the sugar and simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt or sugar as needed. Add the remaining sweet potato, apple, plantains, and pineapple.

To serve, place the sliced chicken breast on a plate and top with the manchamanteles. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve warm.

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from Sor Juana en la Cocina by Moníca Lavín and Ana Benítez Muro

image: La cocina mexicana de Pily