Mole Verde -- Mexican Green Sauce

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 6 ounces pumpkin seeds, about 2 cups (raw, unhulled)
• 2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups beef broth
• 6 ounces tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
• 6 large leaves sorrel, rinsed, stems removed, and coarsely chopped (lengua de vaca)
• 4 leaves hoja santa, stems and veins removed, coarsely chopped
• 8 large sprigs epazote (5 coarsely chopped, 3 left whole)
• 4 jalapenos (to taste) or 6 serrano chilies, coarsely chopped (to taste)
• lamb fat (approximately 1/4 cup) or vegetable oil, for frying (approximately 1/4 cup)

Recipe

• 1 toast the pumpkin seeds in an ungreased pan, turning them over and shaking the pan from time to time to prevent them from burning.
• 2 set them aside to cool.
• 3 grind them in an electric grinder or blender to a fine powder.
• 4 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.
• 5 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.
• 6 add the rest of the epazote.
• 7 stir 1/2 cup of the broth into the pumpkin seeds until you have a smooth consistency and gradually stir into the cooked ingredients.
• 8 continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly for 10 more minutes.
• 9 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.
• 10 add any remaining broth and salt, to taste.
• 11 if the sauce is too thick, add a little water to dilute.