20 minutes
A vibrant and tangy mole made with toasted pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs, and tomatillos. Perfect for elevating any dish.
cups
Whole Black Peppercorns
each
Fresh Cilantro, lightly packed
cups
Flat Leaf Parsley, lightly packed
cups
Canned Tomatillos
0 oz
Serrano Chile, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
each
Scallions, white part discarded and chopped coarsely
each
Butter Or Boston Lettuce Leaves, torn into pieces
each
Garlic, coarsely chopped
cloves
cups
1. Toast the Pumpkin Seeds
Place the hulled raw pumpkin seeds in a large skillet over medium heat and stir occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they are slightly browned and start to pop. Toasting the seeds enhances their flavor, giving our mole a rich, nutty base.
2. Grind Pumpkin Seeds and Peppercorns
Transfer the toasted pumpkin seeds to a food processor along with the whole black peppercorns. Grind them together until you have a coarse mixture. The peppercorns add a subtle heat that complements the nuttiness of the seeds perfectly.
3. Blend Fresh Ingredients
Add the fresh cilantro, fresh parsley, canned tomatillos, serrano chile, scallions, lettuce leaves, and garlic to the food processor. Blend everything until it forms a smooth paste. This combination of fresh herbs and tomatillos creates a vibrant and tangy layer of flavor.
4. Incorporate Olive Oil
Pour in the olive oil and continue blending for about 30 seconds. The oil will help smooth out the paste, giving it a thick and glossy texture. Your mole should now be a beautiful, cohesive mixture, ready to elevate any dish you pair it with. Enjoy!
Brighten up the mole by adding the zest of an orange, lemon, or lime. This will infuse the sauce with a fresh, citrusy aroma that complements the herbaceous notes beautifully.
Spicy Mole
Nut Variants
Try roasting your seeds, nuts, and even some of the spices before incorporating them into the mole. This can enhance their flavors and give the sauce a more pronounced roasted character.
While pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are the stars of this mole, you can introduce other seeds and nuts for variation. Try substituting a portion of the pumpkin seeds with toasted sesame seeds or chopped almonds. This will add a different nutty note and provide a subtle texture change.
This is a critical step, as it brings out the nutty flavor of the seeds. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until they're golden and begin to pop. Keep them moving to avoid burning. Toasted seeds will grind better and impart a deeper flavor to the mole.
A good mole balances the flavors of its ingredients. Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning with salt and a touch of sugar if needed. The sugar will not make the mole sweet but will help to balance the acidity from the tomatillos and the heat from the chiles.
Char these on a hot skillet or under a broiler until they're blistered and blackened in spots. This step is crucial for developing a smoky depth that balances the freshness of the herbs.
For a truly smooth mole, strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any unblended bits of seeds or chiles. This extra step can make a world of difference in the texture of your mole.
Like many sauces and stews, mole benefits from resting before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and deepen. If time permits, make the mole a day ahead and reheat it gently before serving.
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