GREEN PIPIâN MOLE WITH CHICKEN

Green Pipiân Mole with Chicken image

Provided by Sergio Remolina

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Mole:
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth
1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered
2 fresh epazote leaves
1 fresh hoja santa leaf (root beer leaf)
2 leaves romaine lettuce
8 sprigs fresh cilantro
2 fresh serrano chiles, chopped
1/4 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/8 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
3 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil
Kosher salt
The finished dish:
4 cups cooked white rice
2 cups steamed chayote or zucchini
2 cups steamed green beans
4 poached skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Steps:

Make the mole:
In a sauté pan over moderate heat, toast the pumpkins seeds, stirring frequently and being careful not to burn them. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Once cool, reserve about 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds for garnish, then transfer the remaining seeds to a blender and add enough vegetable stock to cover by 1 inch. Blend on high until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and clean the blender.
Place the tomatillos, epazote, hoja santa, romaine, cilantro, chiles, onion, garlic, and cumin in a blender, in that order, and blend well. If more liquid is needed, add water or broth, 1 tablespoon at a time.
In a deep skillet over high heat, heat the oil until shimmering then carefully add the tomatillo mixture and fry, stirring constantly and adding broth or water as needed to achieve a sauce-like consistency, for 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the pumpkin seed mixture. Mix well, then season to taste with salt.
To serve:
Divide the rice, chayote or zucchini, green beans, and poached chicken among 4 plates. Coat the chicken with the mole, garnish with the reserved pumpkin seeds, and serve.
DO AHEAD: Leftover mole can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days in the refrigerator. Or, if frozen properly in an airtight container and wrapped in plastic and then aluminum wrap, it can be held for up to 4 months in the freezer.