Mole Verde/ Green Mole is one of the more popular moles that hail from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Fresh herbs, greens, tomatillos and a variety of green chiles give this mole its signature green color and flavor. This mole is also on the spicier side, which is why it is my favorite. Toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds plus the addition of peanuts transform the herby salsa into a proper mole.
Almost every home cook has their version, but not many prepare it from scratch. So here you go….impress them with this one.
Ingredients
- 2 poblano peppers
- 3 – 4 Jalapeños
- 3 – 4 serranos
- handful of fresh cilantro
- handful of fresh parsley
- 20 fresh epasote leaves
- handful of spinach leaves
- 3 romaine lettuce leaves
- 8 tomatillos
- 1/2 medium onion
- 4 garlic cloves with skins on
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds shelled
- 1/3 cup sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup peanuts shelled
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- salt
- oil
Preparation
This mole is divided into 2 sauces which come together to make a thick delicious complex sauce.
Step 1 – make the green salsa; roast the chiles, tomatillos, poblanos, onion and garlic on a hot comal, turning several times until soft and charred in some spots then remove to a plate when done; place the poblanos in a plastic bag to steam for about 10 minutes, remove the charred skins and discard the seeds, chop them up and set aside; peel the garlic cloves, chop the jalapeños, serranos, onion, tomatillos and add them all to a blender with the epasote, parsley, cilantro, spinach and the reserved chopped poblanos; add enough vegetable broth to get everything moving and blended into a smooth salsa; heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large pan and pour in your green salsa, simmer on medium for 15 minutes.
Step 2 – Toast the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and the peanuts in a dry skillet until they start to pop and are fragrant, transfer to blender and add enough vegetable broth to process into a smooth medium thick paste; pour about 1/2 cup of this mixture into the pan with the green salsa, add more if desired; add 2 tsp salt mix well to combine and simmer on low for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning; this mole will thicken as it cooks, add more vegetable broth if needed and adjust salt if necessary.
This mole is great spooned over rice, grilled veggies, grilled tofu or seitan cutlets. Enchiladas de mole are a must with this sauce. Enjoy!
-Mia
LemonVinaigrette 