Chicken In Pipian Sauce Pumpkin Seed Recipes

Steps:

• In large skillet, toast pumpkin seeds, almonds and cumin seeds over low heat, shaking pan, until almonds are golden brown.
• In blender or food processor, grind toasted mixture.
• Add onion, garlic, chilies, cilantro and 1 cup broth. Blend until smooth.
• Pour mixture into medium saucepan. Stir in remaining broth and lemon juice.
• Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper.
• In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken until browned.
• Reduce heat to low, pour pumpkin seeds sauce over chicken and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink and sauce is thick.

Steps:

• Heat a heavy Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat and add the pumpkin seeds. Wait until you hear one pop, then stir constantly until they have puffed and popped, and smell toasty. They should not get any darker than golden or they will taste bitter. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
• Place the cooled pumpkin seeds in a blender and add the tomatillos, chiles, lettuce, onion, garlic, cilantro, and 1/2 cup of the chicken stock. Cover the blender and blend the mixture until smooth, stopping the blender to stir if necessary.
• Heat the oil in the Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a bit of the pumpkin seed mixture and if it sizzles, add the rest. Cook, stirring, until the mixture darkens and thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. It will splutter, so be careful. Hold the lid of the pot above the pot to shield you and your stove from the splutters. Add the remaining chicken stock, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring often, until the sauce is thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt. For a silkier sauce, blend again in batches.

Steps:

• For the pollo: In a pot, add the chicken breast, garlic, tomato, onion and salt. Add water to cover the chicken breast. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and strain the broth. Set aside the broth for the sauce. Shred the chicken.
• For the pipian sauce: In a medium saute pan, toast the pumpkin seeds on medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, about 5 minutes. Transfer the seeds to the chicken broth and let soak for about 15 minutes. Repeat the toasting with the purple corn kernels, then transfer to the broth. Repeat the toasting with the chiles, breaking them apart and stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chiles to just enough hot water to cover and let soak for about 15 minutes.
• Remove the chiles from the water and discard the water. Transfer the chiles to a blender with some chicken broth and blend, then remove and blend the pumpkin seeds finely. (You want it to look like a thin purée.) Set aside.
• Heat a heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot, slowly add the two blends together. Cook, stirring constantly, then add the remaining chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce reduces to a thick consistency, about 10 minutes. Add salt to your liking.
• Serve the sauce on top of the chicken!

Steps:

• If the pumpkin seeds you have are already toasted, proceed to step 2. Otherwise, heat 3 tablespoons of the lard in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the pumpkin seeds and cook, shaking and stirring the pan constantly for a minute or two, until the seeds start to puff. (Take care not to overcook the seeds, which will make the sauce bitter; and be prepared for flying seeds popping out of the pan.) Remove the toasted seeds with a slotted spoon and cool. (Discard any blackened seeds.) Meanwhile, warm the stock and soak the chiles in it. When they have softened, after 10 to 15 minutes, remove their stems and seeds; reserve the soaking liquid.
• Put the seeds in a food processor and process until pasty, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides if necessary. Add the garlic, chiles, and as much of the soaking liquid as you need to process until quite smooth.
• Turn the heat under the pan back to medium and add the remaining lard or oil. Reheat the sauce with enough liquid to thin to a pleasing consistency, stirring occasionally, until it just boils and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed, then stir in the lime juice; serve hot or at room temperature. (This keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days; bring back to room temperature or reheat before serving and always add the lime juice at the last minute.)
• In step 2, add 2 tomatoes (preferably peeled and seeded) and 2 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled, to the mix; you will need less of the reserved liquid.
• Omit the lard and toast the pumpkin seeds as you would sesame seeds (page 596). Omit the ancho chiles and puree the toasted seeds with chile powder to taste (about 1 tablespoon), at least 1/4 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160), or water, and salt and pepper to taste. Reheat and add the lime juice.