Tap the rich, complex flavors of green mole - Mexican sauces - includes recipes

Sunset, May, 1997 by Betsy Reynolds Bateson

Liven up menus with two versatile Mexican sauces

Mexican cuisine is filled with many sauces called moles (mo-lays). They come in many colors and flavors. The common vein is texture (mole means soft - mashed or pureed - as in guacamole). The ones known as green moles are fresh chili-and-vegetable mixtures that are simmered. Two particularly delicious traditional examples are mole verde from Oaxaca (in southern Mexico) and pipian verde.

The Oaxacan mole uses epazote, an herb found dried at most Mexican-food markets. This mole gets its body from lima beans and masa. The pipian verde's base is peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and tomatillos.

Both sauces go well with pork, chicken, or fish - even over enchiladas.

Mole Verde

Prep and cook time: About 1 hour Notes: Buy masa fresh from a Mexican-food market, or make it, using dehydrated masa (corn tortilla) flour.

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

1 3/4 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed 2 onions (3/4 lb. total), quartered 1 cup frozen lima beans 8 cloves garlic, peeled 2 fresh serrano chilies (1 oz. total), stemmed 1/4 cup masa 1/2 cup chopped fresh fennel 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/2 cup chopped parsley 2 tablespoons crumbled dried epazote (optional) About 1/2 cup beef broth About 2 pounds baked pork tenderloin, thinly sliced Parsley or cilantro sprigs Salt and pepper

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan, combine tomatillos, onions, lima beans, garlic, chilies, and 3 1/2 cups water.

2. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender when pierced, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking liquid.

3. Whirl vegetable mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth. (If desired, chill puree and liquid airtight up to 1 day.)

4. Return puree to pan. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring often, until puree is as thick as catsup, about 15 minutes.

5. With a fork, blend prepared masa with 1 cup reserved cooking liquid; add to puree.

6. Whirl fennel, cilantro, parsley, and epazote with broth in a food processor or blender; add mixture to cooked sauce. Heat just until hot.

7. Ladle 3/4 cup sauce onto each dinner plate; lay pork slices in sauce and garnish with parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Accompany with remaining sauce.

Per serving: 307 cal., 23% (71 cal.) from fat; 37 g protein; 7.9 g fat (2.5 g sat.); 21 g carbo (3.1 g fiber); 93 mg sodium; 90 mg chol.

Pipian Verde

Prep and cook time: About 1 1/2 hours

Makes: 8 servings

1 onion (6 oz.), quartered 1/2 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed 2 fresh jalapeno chilies (2 oz. total), stemmed 4 cloves garlic, peeled 2 romaine lettuce leaves 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro 1/4 cup radish leaves 1 2/3 cups (about 1/2 lb.) hulled, salted, and roasted pumpkin seeds 6 cups chicken broth 3/4 cup (about 1/4 lb.) unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts 1/3 cup Asian sesame seed 4 to 6 warm poached or baked boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 3/4 to 2 1/2 lb. total), sliced, or 2 pounds warm cooked firm-flesh fish, such as halibut or swordfish Cilantro sprigs Salt and pepper

1. In a 6- to 8-quart pan, combine onion, tomatillos, chilies, garlic, and 2 1/2 cups water.

2. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender when pierced, about 20 minutes. Drain.

3. In a food processor or blender, smoothly puree vegetable mixture with romaine, cilantro, and radish leaves.

4. Pour about half the puree into a bowl; set aside.

5. Add 1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds and 1/2 cup broth to puree in food processor; whirl until mixture is smooth. Pour into cooking pan.

6. Pour puree from bowl back into food processor. Add peanuts, sesame seed, and 1/2 cup broth and whirl until smooth. Add to pan.

7. Add 3 cups broth to pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. Sauce will look curdled.

8. In a food processor or blender, whirl about half the sauce and 1 cup broth until smooth. Pour into a fine strainer over a bowl, pressing sauce through with the back of a spoon; discard residue.

9. Puree remaining sauce and 1 cup broth, and rub through strainer. (If making ahead, cover when cool and chill airtight up to 2 days.)

10. Return sauce to pan and stir over medium heat until hot.

11. Ladle about 3/4 cup sauce onto each dinner plate; lay chicken in sauce and garnish with cilantro sprigs and remaining pumpkin seeds. Accompany with remaining sauce and salt and pepper to add to taste.

Per serving: 438 cal.; 41% (180 cal.) from fat; 42 g protein; 20 g fat (3.8 g sat.); 25 g carbo (4.1 g fiber); 310 mg sodium; 79 mg chol.