Pumpkin and seitan:Pollo en Pipián Verde (Chicken with Pumpkin Seed-Tomatillo Sauce)

By blum099

Ingredients

• 1 seitan chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 4 serrano chiles, stemmed
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 1/2 medium white onions, cut into quarters
• 1 lb. tomatillos (available at melissas.com), husks removed, rinsed
• 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• 4 large leaves romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
• 1 1/3 cups raw, unhulled pumpkin seeds (available at mexgrocer.com)
• 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Preparation

Step 1

. make favorite chicken seitan : Drain, reserving 5 cups cooking liquid, and keep warm.

2. Heat a 12" skillet over high heat. Add chiles, garlic, and onions, and cook, turning as needed, until all vegetables are charred all over, about 15 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a blender and set aside. Place tomatillos in a 4-qt. saucepan, and cover with water; bring to a boil, and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, and transfer to blender along with cilantro and lettuce, and process all vegetables until smooth, at least 2 minutes. Pour purée through a fine strainer into a bowl, and set aside.

3. Wipe skillet clean and return to medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and peanuts, and cook, swirling pan often, until nuts are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes; transfer to a blender, and return skillet to heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook, swirling pan often, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to blender along with 3 cups reserved cooking liquid, and purée until very smooth, at least 2 minutes; set aside.

4. Return saucepan to medium-high heat, and add oil. When hot, add vegetable and nut purées, and fry, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining cooking liquid, and cook until smooth, about 5 minutes more. Spoon the sauce over chicken to serve.

Selecting Tomatillos "When buying tomatillos to make dishes like the pork ribs in tomatillo sauce look for firm fruits with husks that cling tightly to the fruit. These contain the most juice and will not be mealy inside. And smaller ones will typically be more flavorful." —Iliana de la Vega, chef-owner of El Naranjo in Austin, Texas, and chef-instructor at the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio