Paleo Shrimp in Green Mole

By ROBandSEAN

There are only three basic steps to making green mole: Whip up a purée of toasted pumpkin seeds, tomatillos and chiles in a blender; sear the purée in oil and cook it until it thickens slightly; then add chicken stock and simmer until the mixture is creamy. Once the sauce is done, you can poach shrimp right in it; it only takes five to eight minutes to cook them in the simmering mole. Better yet, you can make the sauce up to three days ahead and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to use it, or freeze it (whisk or blend to restore its consistency after thawing).

Ingredients

• 1 1 1 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
• 1 1 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
• 1 1 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1 1 1 white onion, cut into wedges
• 5 5 5 tomatillos, husked and halved
• 5 5 5 garlic cloves, halved
• 2 2 2 jalapeño peppers, sliced
• 2 2 2 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
• 1 1 1 cup packed coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 1 1 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup fresh epazote (optional)
• 1 1 1 teaspoon salt

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 35mins
Adapted from leitesculinaria.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large skillet with high sides or in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, toast the pumpkin seeds, cumin seeds, and oregano, if using, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Toss frequently to make sure they don’t burn. Remove from the heat and transfer to a spice grinder or a blender and process until finely ground.
2. In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, tomatillos, garlic, and jalapeños and cook until slightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes, tossing a couple of times but not too much. Place the vegetables in a blender or food processor, then add the broth, cilantro, parsley, epazote (if using), and salt and process until puréed.
3. Pour the mixture back into the skillet and add the ground pumpkin seed mixture. Let simmer gently until the flavors are melded, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately. (Leftovers—if there are any—can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a couple of days.)
Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Shortly before serving, bring mole sauce to a simmer and add shrimp. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through but still moist. Serve over rice, garnishing each serving with toasted pumpkin seeds and cilantro.