Mole Verde (Green Mole)

Mole Verde photo by Michael Sofronski www.michaelsofronski.com

For those who attended my class at the Gourmet Latino Festival, here is the recipe f or mole verde.  We will be serving it  this week along with 6 other moles from the state of Oaxaca. Thank you for yoru enthusiastic response.  I so enjoyed myself an d thank you for taking me into account.

Mole Verde

Green Mole

Mole Verde, or just “Verde” for short, is the lightest and freshest-tasting of Oaxaca’s “seven moles.”   Fresh herbs rather than spice accents are what distinguish a mole verde. A purée of green herbs has to be added at the last minute.  As part of the Gourmet Latino Festival I was paired with a wonderful association,

8 cloves, or 1/4 teaspoon ground

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

3 jalapeño chiles

6 large tomatillos, husks removed

1 small onion, cut into chunks

5 garlic cloves, peeled

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh marjoram

6 cups chicken or pork stock

1 cup (8 ounces) masa, either fresh or reconstituted by mixing 6 tablespoons masa harina to a smooth paste with 1 cup water

1 medium-size bunch Italian parsley

Eight 6-inch sprigs fresh epazote or 1/4 cup dried, crumbled

3 large or 5 medium-size fresh hoja santa leaves or 5 dried leaves

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, garlic cloves, thyme, marjoram,  and 1/2 cup of the strained stock.  Process until smoothly puréed (about 2 minutes on high).

Place the remaining stock in a large saucepan 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, for 10 minutes over low heat, 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, raise the heat slightly to reduce and thicken it.

Place the parsley, epazote, and hoja santa in a blender or food processor.  Is using a blender, add a few tablespoons water to facilitate blending.  Process to a smooth purée.  Add the puréed herbs to the stock and bring back to a simmer.  Cook for 4 – 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 – 6 servings.