The chicken or beef:

1	chicken, 3-1/2 - 4 pounds, or an equal amount of stewing beef
1	celery stalk with some leaves
1	carrot, cut into chunks
1	onion, cut into chunks
4	lg. cloves garlic, peeled
2	bay leaves
	Salt, to taste

Place chicken or beef, celery, carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaves and salt to taste in a stockpot with 4 quarts water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer until chicken or beef is tender. Let chicken or beef cool in the broth, strain broth and set aside.

The sauce: 3

6	chilcostle chiles or 1/2 oz. chihuacles amarillos or guajillos, seeded and deveined
2	ancho chiles, seeded and deveined
1/2	lb. tomatoes, charred and skinned
1/2	lb. tomatillos, husks removed
1	med. white onion, coarsely chopped
1/2	head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
3	whole cloves
whole allspice
3	peppercorns
1/8	t. cumin seeds
1	T. lard or corn oil
4	oz. prepared masa (corn dough) or 1/2 c. masa harina mixed with 1/4 c. water
4	c. strained broth from chicken or beef
3	small, fresh hoja santa leaves (if using chicken, see note below)
	Salt, to taste

Toast chiles just to point of fragrance, taking care not to burn them. Cover with 1-1/2 cups hot broth for 20 min. Puree chiles and their soaking liquid in a blender. Pass puree through food mill; set aside.

Boil tomatoes and tomatillos in 1 cup broth until tomatillos soften. Place tomatoes, tomatillos, broth, onion and garlic in a blender and puree. Pass through a food mill and set aside.

Toast cloves, allspice, peppercorn and cumin seeds lightly on a comal or dry griddle, grind in a spice mill.

Heat lard or corn oil in a heavy stockpot or cazuela. Add chile puree and fry 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomato mixture and ground spices, stir to blend well and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Blend masa or masa harina mixture with 1 cup broth and add to mole. Cook, stirring constantly, for 15 min. Add 2 to 2-1/2 cups broth to thin to consistency of heavy cream. Add whole hoja santa leaves.

Serve mole in bowls, with sauce generously ladled over chicken or beef. Serve with warm tortillas.

Note: If fresh hoja santa is not available, lightly toasted and finely ground avocado leaves may be substituted or the herb may be omitted. When preparing the mole with beef, Oaxacan cooks add fresh pitonia instead of the hoja santa. Again, if this is not available, it may be omitted.