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Chicken In Green Tomato And Nut Sauce
(Pollo En Mole Verde)
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Before using hot chilies, please read "How to Handle Hot Chilies" article.
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| What You Need: |
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A 3- to 3½-pound chicken, cut into 6 or 8 serving pieces
2 cups cold water
THE SAUCE
½ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup shelled walnuts
¼ cup blanched almonds
2 fresh poblano chilies, or substitute
2 fresh green peppers, about 3½ inches in diameter
A 10-ounce can Mexican green tomatoes, drained
½ up coarsely chopped onions
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 canned serrano chili, drained and rinsed in cold water
1 cup chicken stock, fresh or canned
¼ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon lard
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| How To Cook: |
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1. In a heavy 4- to 5-quart flameproof casserole, combine the chicken and 2 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender but not falling apart.
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2. Place the pepitas in the jar of a blender and blend at high speed for 15 seconds, or until they are finely ground. With the back of a spoon, force the ground pepitas through a sieve set over a bowl.
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3. Grind and sieve the walnuts and the blanched almonds-separately-in the same fashion. Return the pepitas, walnuts and almonds to the blender. Pour in 1 cup of chicken stock and puree at high speed for about 15 seconds.
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4. Roast the poblano chilies or green peppers by impaling them, one at a time, on the tines of a long-handled fork and turning them over a gas flame until the skin blisters and darkens on all sides.
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5. Or place the chilies or peppers on a baking sheet or broiler pan, and broil them about 3 inches from the heat for about 5 minutes, turning them so that they color on all sides. Be careful not to let them burn.
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6. Wrap the chilies in a damp towel, and let them rest for a few minutes. Gently rub them with the towel until the skins slip off. With a small, sharp knife, cut out their stems and thick white membranes and discard the seeds.
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7. Cut the chilies into chunks and place them in the jar of a blender. Blend at high speed for 10 seconds. Add the green tomatoes, onions, coriander, serrano chili, stock, garlic, salt and pepper, and blend for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is reduced to a smooth puree.
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8. To make the sauce by hand, puree the chilies or peppers, tomatoes, onions, coriander, serrano chili and garlic a cup or so at a time-in a food mill set over a bowl. With a mortar and pestle, grind the pepitas, walnuts and almonds, one at a time, and sieve them. Add the nuts to the chili mixture, together with the salt, pepper and 1 cup of chicken stock.
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9. In an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of lard over moderate heat, pour in the nut-chili puree, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the skillet from the heat.
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10. When the chicken is done, drain off all its cooking liquid, and in its place pour the sauce into the casserole. Turn the chicken about in the sauce to coat it thoroughly, and simmer it over low heat, tightly covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is hot and well flavored with the sauce. Serve either directly from the casserole or arrange the chicken attractively on a serving platter and pour the sauce over it.
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