Best Green Mole Recipes

GREEN PIPIâN MOLE WITH CHICKEN

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.

MOLE VERDE: GREEN MOLE

Steps:

• Toast the pumpkin seeds in an ungreased pan, turning them over and shaking the pan from time to time to prevent them from burning. Set them aside to cool and then grind them in an electric grinder to a fine powder. Put 1 1/2 cups of the broth in a blender, gradually adding the tomates verdes, lengua de vaca, hoja santa, chopped epazote, and chiles, blending as smooth as possible.
• Heat the lard in a flameproof casserole in which you are going to serve the mole and fry the blended ingredients, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking; cook for about 25 minutes. Add the rest of the epazote.
• Stir 1/2 cup of the broth into the pumpkin seeds until you have a smooth consistency and gradually stir into the cooked ingredients. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly for 10 more minutes. Take care that the pumpkin seed mixture does not form into lumps; if this happens, put the sauce back into the blender and blend until smooth. Add any remaining broth and salt, to taste. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water to dilute.

SPICE-RUBBED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MOLE, GREEN RICE, CILANTRO, LIME AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• For the mole sauce: Put the almonds in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the almonds to a plate.
• Increase the heat to high, add the oil to the saucepan and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the garlic and onions and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, chipotle puree, ancho chile powder, sesame seeds, New Mexico chile powder, cinnamon, chile de arbol, allspice and cloves. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the mango, raisins, tortilla chips, molasses, honey, maple syrup and reserved almonds. Pour in the warmed chicken stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mangoes are soft and the mixture is reduced by half, about 50 minutes.
• Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender, let cool for 5 minutes and then blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan over high heat. Add the chocolate and cook until reduced to a sauce consistency, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the green rice: Add the rice and 3 cups water to a saucepan and season with salt. Bring to a boil, stir, place a lid on the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Remove the rice from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Stir in the cilantro, green onions, poblanos and some salt and pepper.
• For the spice rub and pork: Remove the pork from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Combine the ancho chile powder, brown sugar. pasilla chile powder, cinnamon, allspice, chile de arbol and 1 tablespoon salt in a small bowl.
• Season the pork with salt on both sides. Dredge the pork in the spice rub and tap off any excess. Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook, turning every few minutes to sear on all sides, until the pork is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the oven and cook to medium doneness (or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 145 degrees F), 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the tenderloin to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before slicing into 1-inch-thick slices.
• Ladle some of the mole sauce onto each plate and put 3 slices of pork on top. Put a scoop of rice on the side. Add more sauce on top, some crumbled goat cheese, a squeeze of lime and chopped cilantro.

GREEN MOLE

Steps:

• Put the chicken pieces, onion, and garlic into a large saucepan; add water or chicken broth to cover and add salt. Add the optional giblets if you are making this with water. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat until the meat is almost tender but still firm, about 25 minutes. (A lot will depend on the quality of the chicken.) If using pork, cook for about 20 minutes longer. Strain, reserving the broth. Reduce or add water to make up to 6 cups (1.5L).
• Put the sesame seeds into an ungreased skillet over medium heat, stirring them constantly until they become a deep golden color, about 5 minutes. Take care not to let them burn. Spread them out on a tray to cool. Put the pumpkin seeds into the pan and stir them until they begin to swell and start to pop around, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool. When the seeds are cool, grind the sesame first with the cloves, peppercorns, and allspice to a slightly textured powder. Then grind the pumpkin seeds to the same texture. Transfer both to a bowl and stir in 1 cup (250ml) of the reserved broth to make a thick paste.
• Heat about 3 tablespoons of the lard or oil in a heavy casserole, add the seed paste, and fry over medium-low heat, scraping the bottom of the pan constantly to avoid sticking - if necessary add a little more fat - until dry, shiny, and a rich deep golden color.
• Unless you have a large blender jar you may need to blend the greens in two batches, but try to use the minimum of liquid. Put 1 cup (250ml) of the broth into the blender jar and add the garlic, tomate verde, and chiles and blend fairly smooth. Gradually add half of the greens and blend as smoothly as possible. Add the rest of the greens little by little, with just enough of the broth to enable the blades of the blender to work efficiently.
• Gradually stir the blended ingredients into the fried seed paste over medium heat, stirring the mixture well after each addition. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce starts to reduce and thicken, for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining broth and cook for a further 10 minutes - pools of oil will form around the periphery. Add the meat, adjust salt, and cook for a further 10 minutes. Dilute with more broth or water if desired. Serve with corn tortillas.

GREEN MOLE WITH PORK

Steps:

• Choose a deep saucepan or Dutch oven large enough to hold the meat comfortably. Place the tied pork loin and bones in it along with the peppercorns, salt, and 4 of the garlic cloves. Add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch (at least 7 cups). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, partly covered, for 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads 120° F. (Do not worry about the low temperature. The meat will cook more thoroughly in reheating.) Remove the meat and bones from the cooking stock and set aside. Strain the stock; you should have about 6 cups.
• Grind the cloves and cumin together in an electric coffee or spice grinder, or with a mortar and pestle. Place the ground spices in a blender with the chiles, tomatillos, onion, thyme, marjoram, the remaining 5 garlic cloves, and 1/2 cup of the strained stock. Process until smoothly puréed (about 2 minutes on high).
• Return the remaining strained stock to the pan; bring back to a boil, and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Add the puréed mixture to the hot stock and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes.
• Thin the masa by mixing with 1 cup water. Whisk the thinned masa into the stock mixture; whisking constantly, let the sauce return to the simmer.
• Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. If lumps form, pass the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve (pushing with a spoon to force through the lumpy bits) and return to the heat. The mixture should thicken to the consistency of whipping cream; if necessary, increase the heat slightly to reduce and thicken it.
• Untie the cooked pork and carve into serving pieces. Carve the bones into separate rib sections.
• Place the parsely, epazote, and hoja santa in a blender or food processor. If using a blender, add a few tablespoons water to facilitate blending. Process to a smooth purée.
• Add the cooked beans to the masa-thickened sauce and let return to a simmer. Return the carved meat and bones to the pot along with the puréed herbs. Taste and add more salt if desired. Cook until just heated through, 4 to 5 minutes. Give each person a piece or two of rib bone along with the meat and sauce. Serve immediately.

GREEN MOLE WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• To poach the chicken, combine all of the ingredients except the chicken in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes. Add the chicken breasts and skim off any foam when the liquid comes back to a simmer. Partly cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, or longer if possible. Then, using tongs, remove the chicken breasts to a sheet tray or bowl. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the skin. Cover and set aside. Strain the stock through a cheesecloth-lined strainer and measure out 3 cups. Skim off the fat from the top. (If you do this step the day before, chill the stock first, then skim off the fat from the top. Chill any remaining stock, skim off the fat and freeze.)
• To make the mole, heat a heavy Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat and add the pumpkin seeds. Wait until you hear one pop, then stir constantly until they have puffed and popped, and smell toasty. They should not get any darker than golden, or they will taste bitter. Transfer to a bowl or a baking sheet and allow to cool. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the seeds for garnish.
• If you're using fresh tomatillos, bring a medium pot of water to a simmer, add the tomatillos, and simmer for 10 minutes, flipping them over in the water halfway through, until soft. Drain and place in a blender. If using canned tomatillos, drain and place them in a blender. Add the cooled pumpkin seeds, the chilies, lettuce, onion, garlic, cilantro, and 1/2 cup of the stock. Cover the blender and blend the mixture until smooth, stopping the blender to stir if necessary. If necessary, do this in 2 batches.
• Heat the Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately on contact. Add the oil, wait for a minute, then drizzle in a bit of the pumpkin seed mixture; if it sizzles loudly, add the rest, holding the lid above the pan, as the mixture will spatter. Cook, stirring, until the mixture darkens and thickens, about 5 minutes. It will splutter, so be careful. Hold the lid of the pot above the pot to shield you and your stove from the splutters. Stir or whisk in the remaining stock, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring often, until the sauce is thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
• To serve, place the chicken breasts in the pot with the mole and warm on top of the stove, then remove the chicken pieces to a platter and nap with the warm sauce; or place in a large, attractive baking dish, pour on the sauce, cover and warm in a low oven (275 degrees) for 20 minutes. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and pumpkin seeds. Serve with rice.

MOLE VERDE -- MEXICAN GREEN SAUCE

Steps:

• Toast the pumpkin seeds in an ungreased pan, turning them over and shaking the pan from time to time to prevent them from burning.
• Set them aside to cool.
• Grind them in an electric grinder or blender to a fine powder.
• Put 1 1/2 cups of the broth in a blender, gradually adding the tomatillos, sorrel, hoja santa, chopped epazote, and chiles, blending as smooth as possible.
• Heat the lard in a flameproof casserole in which you are going to serve the mole; fry the blended ingredients, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking for about 25 minutes.
• Add the rest of the epazote.
• Stir 1/2 cup of the broth into the pumpkin seeds until you have a smooth consistency and gradually stir into the cooked ingredients.
• Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly for 10 more minutes.
• Take care that the pumpkin seed mixture does not form into lumps; if this happens, put the sauce back into the blender and blend until smooth.
• Add any remaining broth and salt, to taste.
• If the sauce is too thick, add a little water to dilute.

CRAB ENCHILADAS WITH GREEN MOLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until slightly limp, about 2 minutes. Add the crab, oregano, and pepper and toss until the crabmeat is heated through, just another couple of minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Spread 1/2 cup mole verde onto the bottom of a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish.
• Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a wet paper towel. Microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until softened. Spread the tortillas out onto a couple of large baking sheets or cutting boards.
• Spoon some of the crab mixture in a line down the center of each tortilla. Roll them up, placing them seam-side down on the mole verde in the baking dish. Repeat until all of the tortillas are placed in the dish. Pour the remaining mole sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the cheese. Top with the green onions.
• Bake until heated through and the cheese melts, about 15 minutes. To serve, transfer 2 enchiladas each onto 6 plates and top each with a couple of avocado slices.

PISTACHIO GREEN MOLE (MOLE VERDE DE PISTACHE)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast until lightly brown, about 15 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the mole: In a pot, heat the grapeseed oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chiles and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatillos and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add 2/3 cup water and the pistachios and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender along with the cilantro, hoja santa and spinach. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
• Serve the mole warm, with the roasted zucchini. Top with greens and serve rice and tortillas alongside.

POACHED EGGS IN MOLE WITH CREAMY GREEN RICE

Steps:

• Put the almonds in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until lightly golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove the almonds to a plate. Increase the heat to high, add the oil to the saucepan and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the garlic and onions and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, chipotle puree, the chile powders, cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Next, add the mangoes, raisins, corn tortillas, molasses, honey, maple syrup and almonds. Pour in the warmed chicken stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mangoes are soft and the mixture is reduced by half, about 50 minutes. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan over high heat. Add the chocolate and cook until reduced to a sauce consistency, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pour the mole into a medium, high-sided saute pan and bring to a simmer. Crack the eggs one a time into a ramekin and carefully slip into the mole. Sprinkle the tops of the eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the whites are just set and the yolks are still jiggly, about 12 minutes. Spoon some of the Creamy Green Rice into a shallow bowl and make an indention in the center. Put the egg in the center and spoon some of the mole over the egg. Sprinkle with the cheeses and garnish with cilantro leaves.
• Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until reduced by half. While the cream is reducing, bring 2 3/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Stir in the rice and season with salt. Bring to a boil again, stir, place a lid on the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Return the rice to the stove over medium heat, add the reduced cream and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro, green onions and poblanos.

BACALAO CON MOLE VERDE (COD IN GREEN SAUCE)

Steps:

• 1. In earthenware container or large skillet, warm olive oil and garlic over low heat until garlic becomes golden (appx. 10 minutes) 2. Add fish and increase the heat to medium-low and cook for 3-4 minutes. 3. Carefully turn the fish and add the chopped parsley to the pan. 4. Cook, shaking the pan gently, until the fish is done (8-12 minutes).

PORK CHOPS IN GREEN MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Blend 1/4 cup dressing, water, tomatillos, pumpkin seeds and 1/4 cup cilantro in blender until smooth; set aside.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. of the remaining dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chops; cook 5 to 7 min. or until browned on both sides, turning after 4 min. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm. Add remaining dressing and onions to skillet; cook 2 to 3 min. or until onions are tender. Return chops to skillet; cover with tomatillo mixture. Bring to boil; cover. Cook on medium-low heat 10 to 12 min. or until chops are done (145ºF). Remove chops from skillet, reserving sauce in skillet; cover chops to keep warm.
• Stir cream cheese into sauce; cook, uncovered, 3 min. or until cream cheese is melted and sauce is well blended, stirring frequently. Spoon over chops; sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

ASPARAGUS, GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES WITH GREEN MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a heavy Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat and add pumpkin seeds. Wait until you hear one pop, then stir constantly until they have puffed and popped, and smell toasty. They should not get any darker than golden or they will taste bitter. Transfer to a bowl or a baking sheet and allow to cool.
• Place cooled pumpkin seeds in a blender and add tomatillos, chiles, lettuce, onion, garlic, cilantro, cumin, salt, and 1/2 cup of the stock. Cover blender and blend mixture until smooth, stopping blender to stir if necessary.
• Heat oil in the Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a bit of the blended mixture and if it sizzles, add the rest. Cook, stirring, until mixture darkens and thickens, about 5 minutes. (Hold the lid above the pot to shield you and your stove from splatters.) Add remaining stock, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring often, until sauce is thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt. You should have about 2 cups.
• Steam potato wedges above 1 inch boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Steam asparagus and green beans for 5 minutes, or blanch for the same amount of time in salted boiling water. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and drain again on a kitchen towel.
• Arrange the vegetables on a platter or plates and spoon mole sauce over, or heat through in the sauce, in the saucepan. Serve with rice or corn tortillas if desired.

FRIDA'S GREEN MOLE

Steps:

• 1. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven. Add the pork shoulder and sear on all sides. Pour 2 cups chicken broth into the pan and cover. Place in a 325-degree oven and cook until the meat is extremely tender and easily pulled apart with a fork, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 2. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic and tomatillos and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the peanuts and the raw pepitas and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the cilantro, epazote, lettuce, tortilla pieces, bolillo slices and chiles. Stir in the remaining chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chiles are soft and flavors have blended, about 15 to 20 minutes. 3. Let the mixture cool slightly, then blend in batches until smooth. Add a little water or broth (one-fourth to one-half cup) if necessary to make a thick but pourable sauce. 4. Return the sauce to the pan and heat to serving temperature. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste. Makes 6 cups sauce. 5. To serve, shred the cooked pork and arrange on a serving platter. Pour the sauce over the top and sprinkle with pepitas. Each serving with one-half cup sauce: 602 calories; 48 grams protein; 14 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 40 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 139 mg. cholesterol; 848 mg. sodium

MOLE PORK AND GREEN OLIVE QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• directions 1. In a large skillet, cook chopped onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat about 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and oregano; cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in flour. Stir in chicken broth all at once. Cook until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Stir in chocolate until melted. Stir in shredded pork and heat through. 2. Coat one side of each tortilla with cooking spray. Place tortillas, sprayed sides down, on cutting board or waxed paper. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over half of each tortilla. Top evenly with pork, green olives, and red onion slices. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently. 3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook quesadillas, two at a time, in hot skillet over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until light brown, turning once. Remove quesadillas from skillet; place on a baking sheet. Keep warm in a 300 degree F oven. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. To serve, cut each quesadilla into three wedges. Makes 6 servings. Pulled Pork Master RecipeTrim fat from a 3 to 3-1/2 pound boneless pork shoulder. If necessary, cut pork to fit a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker. Place pork, 1 cup chopped sweet onion, and 6 cloves garlic, minced in slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine 1, 12-ounce bottle chili sauce, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Pour over pork in cooker. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 11 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. Remove pork from cooker, reserving juices. Using two forks, shred pork; discarding any fat. Skim fat from juices. Add enough juices to the pork to moisten. Place 2-cup portions of pork in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Makes 6 cups.

CHICKEN IN OAXACAN GREEN MOLE WITH WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the beans and reserve. Put the chicken into a large saucepan. Add the broth, 1 cup of water, half of the onion, half of the garlic, the carrot, and the crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the chicken, covered, until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces to a bowl and cover to keep moist. Pour the cooked broth through a strainer into a bowl and reserve for the sauce. Discard the debris. 2. In a blender or food processor, blend the tomatillos, jalapeños, cumin, allspice, cloves, the remaining half of the onion, and the remaining garlic. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, and blend until smooth. 3. In a large saucepan, heat the oil until it shimmers. Slowly pour in the tomatillo mixture (so it won't splatter), and cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. 4. In the same blender jar, blend the parsley, epazote, hoja santa, masa, salt, pepper, and sugar with 1/2 cup of the cooked chicken broth. Purée the mixture until smooth, and pour into the pan with the sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, 20 minutes. Add the cooked chicken and the white beans. Simmer, partially covered, 10 to 15 minutes to heat through and blend flavors. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

CRAB ENCHILADAS WITH GREEN MOLE RECIPE - (4.6/5)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until slightly limp, about 2 minutes. Add the crab, oregano, and pepper and toss until the crabmeat is heated through, just another couple of minutes. Remove from the heat. Spread 1/2 cup mole verde onto the bottom of a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish. Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a wet paper towel. Microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until softened. Spread the tortillas out onto a couple of large baking sheets or cutting boards. Spoon some of the crab mixture in a line down the center of each tortilla. Roll them up, placing them seam-side down on the mole verde in the baking dish. Repeat until all of the tortillas are placed in the dish. Pour the remaining mole sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the cheese. Top with the green onions. Bake until heated through and the cheese melts, about 15 minutes. To serve, transfer 2 enchiladas each onto 6 plates and top each with a couple of avocado slices.

SHRIMP IN GREEN MOLE

Steps:

• Heat a heavy straight-sided skillet or a saucepan over medium heat and add pumpkin seeds. Wait until you hear one seed pop, then stir constantly until they have puffed and popped and smell toasty, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let them darken beyond golden or they will taste bitter. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Remove 2 tablespoons to use as garnish and set aside.
• Place remaining cooled pumpkin seeds in a blender and add tomatillos, chile, lettuce, onion, garlic, cilantro and 1/2 cup chicken stock. Cover blender and blend mixture until smooth, stopping the blender to stir if necessary.
• Heat oil in the skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin and let it sizzle for a couple of seconds, then add puréed tomatillo mixture. Cook, stirring often, until sauce darkens and thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. It will splutter, so be careful. You can hold the lid above the pot to shield yourself and the stove, or set the lid on the pot to partly cover it.
• Add remaining cup of chicken stock, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until sauce is thick and creamy, 10 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
• Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Shortly before serving, bring mole sauce to a simmer and add shrimp. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through but still moist. Serve over rice, garnishing each serving with toasted pumpkin seeds and cilantro.

GREEN MOLE WITH PORK RECIPE | EPICURIOUS.COM

Steps:

• Choose a deep saucepan or Dutch oven large enough to hold the meat comfortably. Place the tied pork loin and bones in it along with the peppercorns, salt, and 4 of the garlic cloves. Add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch (at least 7 cups). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, partly covered, for 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads 120° F. (Do not worry about the low temperature. The meat will cook more thoroughly in reheating.) Remove the meat and bones from the cooking stock and set aside. Strain the stock; you should have about 6 cups.
• Grind the cloves and cumin together in an electric coffee or spice grinder, or with a mortar and pestle. Place the ground spices in a blender with the chiles, tomatillos, onion, thyme, marjoram, the remaining 5 garlic cloves, and 1/2 cup of the strained stock. Process until smoothly puréed (about 2 minutes on high).
• Return the remaining strained stock to the pan; bring back to a boil, and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Add the puréed mixture to the hot stock and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes.
• Thin the masa by mixing with 1 cup water. Whisk the thinned masa into the stock mixture; whisking constantly, let the sauce return to the simmer.
• Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. If lumps form, pass the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve (pushing with a spoon to force through the lumpy bits) and return to the heat. The mixture should thicken to the consistency of whipping cream; if necessary, increase the heat slightly to reduce and thicken it.
• Untie the cooked pork and carve into serving pieces. Carve the bones into separate rib sections.
• Place the parsely, epazote, and hoja santa in a blender or food processor. If using a blender, add a few tablespoons water to facilitate blending. Process to a smooth purée.
• Add the cooked beans to the masa-thickened sauce and let return to a simmer. Return the carved meat and bones to the pot along with the puréed herbs. Taste and add more salt if desired. Cook until just heated through, 4 to 5 minutes. Give each person a piece or two of rib bone along with the meat and sauce. Serve immediately.
• Chef Zarela Martinez shares her tips with Epicurious:
• •This recipe, which can also be served over chicken or fish, is an example of the sophisticated sauce-making techniques for which Oaxaca is famous. Herbs, spices, and aromatics are puréed and mixed with stock; the sauce is then reduced and thickened with masa, a ground corn dough that performs a similar function to the roux in French cooking. Freshly puréed herbs are mixed in at the last minute for a sprightly, green flavor.
• •Masa is a dough made from dried corn that has been treated with an alkali substance such as slaked lime and water and then ground. Fresh masa can be found at some Mexican grocery stores and at tortilla factories. For this recipe, be sure to avoid the masa preparada para tamales, which is mixed with lard and flavorings. Masa harina (dehydrated powdered masa, available at many grocery stores), is mixed with water to produce masa. Masa comes in fine and course grinds; either can be used in this recipe. Regular corn meal cannot be substituted for masa.
• •Hoja santa, also called hierba santa or root-beer plant, has a distinctive anise- and sassafraslike flavor that's hard to duplicate. Epazote has a slightly bitter, pungent, somewhat medicinal flavor that mellows in cooking. Martinez recommends using these herbs fresh for authenticity; look in farmers' markets or buy whole plants from www.itsaboutthyme.com. Both herbs are available dried from www.kitchenmarket.com.
• •Either dried or canned beans can be used in this recipe. If using dried beans, boil them until they are almost cooked through but not falling apart.
• Reprinted with permission from The Food and Life of Oaxaca, © 1997, by Zarela Martinez, Macmillan, a Simon & Schuster Macmillan Company