POLLO EN PIPIAN VERDE

Pollo en Pipian Verde image

Categories Chicken Garlic Herb Nut Onion Hot Pepper Summer Healthy Tomatillo Seed Gourmet

Yield Makes 32 Tacos

Number Of Ingredients 25

Ingredients

1 whole 3 1/2-pound chicken plus 1 whole chicken breast
1 head garlic, unpeeled
1/2 large white onion
6 long sprigs fresh coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 black peppercorns
3 allspice berries
For pumpkin-seed sauce
1 1/2 cups hulled green pumpkin seeds (about 7 ounces)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 allspice berries
3 cloves
6 black peppercorns
1 pound fresh tomatillos or a 28-ounce can tomatillos
6 fresh serrano chilies
1/2 large white onion
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup packed coarsely chopped fresh coriander
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup lard or vegetable oil
3 cups stock from cooking chicken
1 fresh poblano chili
Garnish: chopped toasted hulled pumpkin seeds and chopped fresh coriander
Accompaniment:Warm Tortillas

Steps:

Rinse chicken and cut garlic head in half crosswise. In a 6-quart kettle cover chicken, garlic halves, onion, coriander, salt, peppercorns, and allspice with water and simmer, covered, 1 hour, or until chicken is tender. Transfer chicken to a bowl to cool and reserve stock.
Shred chicken, discarding skin and bones. Pour reserved stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing garlic pulp through sieve. Measure 3 cups stock for sauce and reserve remainder for another use. Chicken and stock may be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, before being chilled separately, covered. (Stock keeps, frozen, 1 month.)
Make sauce:
Heat a large heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot and toast pumpkin seeds, stirring constantly, until they have expanded and begin to pop, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer seeds to a plate to cool. In skillet heat sesame and cumin seeds, allspice, cloves, and peppercorns, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute, and transfer to plate. When seeds and spices are cool, in an electric spice/coffee grinder grind mixture in 4 batches to a powder.
If using fresh tomatillos, discard husks and rinse with warm water to remove stickiness. Stem serrano chilies. In a saucepan simmer fresh tomatillos and serranos in salted water to cover 10 minutes. If using canned tomatillos, drain them and leave serranos uncooked. Transfer tomatillos and serranos (use a slotted spoon if simmered) to a blender and purée with onion, garlic, 1/4 cup coriander, and salt until completely smooth.
In a 5-quart heavy kettle simmer tomatillo purée in lard or oil, stirring frequently, 10 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups stock and stir in powdered pumpkin-seed mixture. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Sauce may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, before being chilled, covered.
Roast and peel poblano chili . In blender purée poblano with remaining 1/2 cup stock and remaining 1/4 cup coriander until completely smooth. Stir poblano purée and chicken into sauce and heat on top of stove or in a 350° F. oven until chicken is heated through.
Garnish chicken with pumpkin seeds and coriander and serve with tortillas.