grilled steaks with ancho mole sauce

Ingredients :

8 large ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

1 small dried red chile, stemmed and most seeds discarded

1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1/3 cup chopped mexican chocolate (2 ounces)

2 tablespoons raisins

pinch of ground cinnamon

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

6 (10-ounce) boneless strip steaks, about 1 inch thick

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients except the cider vinegar and bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. Working in batches, puree the sauce in a blender. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the vinegar.

In a medium saucepan, toast the sesame seeds over moderate heat until golden. Add 1 cup of the salsa roja and the stock, chocolate, raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted, about 4 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and return to the saucepan.

Brush each steak with 1 tablespoon of the mole sauce and let the steaks stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Light a grill. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill them over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side for rare to medium-rare meat. Transfer to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the remaining mole sauce to a simmer. Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve the steaks with the mole sauce on the side.

Grilled Steaks with Ancho Mole Sauce