Pipián Verde
A pre-Hispanic culinary treasure and one of Mexico's most iconic sauces: a thick, velvety green mole crafted from toasted pumpkin seeds, green tomatillos, chilies, and a fine selection of fresh aromatic herbs.
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70 min
Mexicana
4 servings
The story behind
You seriously have absolutely no idea what an incredible, deeply comforting masterpiece this turns out to be—it is a pure culinary hug and a source of immense pride for our gastronomy! The very first time I experienced an authentic pipián verde was at a small traditional eatery in Toluca; they served me a steaming clay pot that released a spectacular aroma of fresh epazote and toasted seeds. The cook, with a warm smile from ear to ear, proudly shared with me that the ultimate golden secret to achieving that vibrant, brilliant green color without turning it bitter is lightly toasting the pumpkin seeds and tossing the fresh green leaves into the blender at the very last second to preserve their freshness. Personally, I absolutely love cooking this when I have special guests over because it is an elegant dish, packed with history, and boasts a complex flavor profiles that everyone falls in love with. It looks flawless when paired with a side of fluffy white vegetable rice and the hot chicken piece is generously smothered in the dense green sauce, exactly like the stunning arrangement in pipian verde.jpg. To drink, an ice-cold lime water with chia seeds or a neat shot of Espadín mezcal cuts through the layers beautifully. You are going to love it completely!
Instructions
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1In a wide skillet or comal over low heat, toast the pumpkin seeds continuously until they puff up and turn lightly golden, taking extreme care not to let them burn. Remove and let them cool down.
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2In a small pot of boiling water, cook the green tomatillos and serrano chilies for 5 to 8 minutes until they change color, being careful not to let the skins burst. Drain and set aside.
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3Blend the cooled dry toasted pumpkin seeds until they turn into a very fine powder.
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4Add the cooked tomatillos, chilies, onion, garlic cloves, romaine lettuce leaves, cilantro, epazote, and a cup of hot chicken broth into the blender with the seed powder; process thoroughly until an exceptionally smooth, thick green sauce forms.
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5Heat the pork lard or oil in a deep heavy pot over medium heat and carefully pour in the blended pipián verde sauce.
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6Season with coarse salt to taste, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring continuously in a circular motion with a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. You will know it is ready when it deepens into an olive-green hue and tiny oil droplets float to the surface.
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7Nestle the pre-cooked chicken pieces into the pot to warm through and absorb the green sauce for 5 minutes. To serve flawlessly just like the layout in pipian verde.jpg, plate a clean side of white rice on one half and smother the chicken generously with the hot, thick pipián verde on the other.
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