Creamy Pumpkin Mole Recipes

SPICY GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CREAMY PUMPKIN MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chile pieces; toast until aromatic and lighter in color around edges, pressing with potato masher or back of fork and turning pieces, about 2 minutes. Set aside one 2-inch piece of chile for garnish; transfer remaining pieces to medium bowl. Cover chiles in bowl with hot water; soak until soft, about 30 minutes.
• In same large pot, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion rings and garlic. Sauté until brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to processor, leaving oil in pot. Add bread slice to pot; cook until golden, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer bread to processor (reserve pot). Add tomatoes to processor. Puree mixture until smooth. Transfer tomato puree to small bowl (do not clean processor).
• Drain ancho chiles and place in processor. Add 1/2 cup broth and 2 chipotle chiles. Puree until smooth.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil to reserved pot. Heat over medium-high heat. Add ancho chile puree; cook until puree thickens and darkens, stirring often, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add tomato puree. Simmer until thick, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin and 3 cups broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until mole thickens and reduces to 3 1/3 cups, about 30 minutes. Whisk in cream and sugar. Season to taste with salt.
• Puree 2 tablespoons oil and 2 chipotle chiles in small processor or force through sieve to make thick glaze. Transfer to bowl. (Mole and glaze can be made 3 days ahead. Cover separately and chill.)
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Rewarm mole. Spread chipotle glaze thinly over both sides of chicken breasts. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt. Grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plates. Spoon mole over each. Crumble reserved ancho chile piece; sprinkle over chicken. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime.
• *Dried ancho chiles and chipotle chiles canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

CHICKEN WITH PUMPKIN-SEED MOLE

Steps:

• Place chicken in a 4-quart pot, and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, and cover.
• Place serrano and poblano chiles directly over the flame of a gas-stove burner on high heat. Roast, turning with tongs, until blackened all over. (Alternatively, broil chiles on a baking sheet, turning often, until skin has charred.) Transfer chiles to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 15 minutes. Peel chiles, and remove stems, seeds, and ribs.
• Process roasted chiles, onion, garlic, cilantro leaves, 1/2 cup pepitas, cumin, oregano, and 1/2 cup stock in a blender until a coarse paste forms.
• Heat oil in a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Add paste, and cook, stirring constantly, until very thick, about 9 minutes. (Reduce heat if mixture begins to scorch.) Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups of stock into paste until incorporated. Let mixture cool slightly, then transfer to blender. Add salt and lime juice. Process until sauce is smooth.
• Place chicken in a clean 4-quart pot, and cover with sauce. Cook over medium-low heat until just heated through, about 10 minutes. (Do not simmer.)
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Distribute evenly among plates, spoon sauce on top, and garnish with cilantro sprigs and remaining 2 tablespoons pepitas. Serve with rice if desired.

CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, half-and-half, parsley, nutmeg, white pepper, salt, and black pepper; cook and stir until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain and transfer to a serving bowl. Top pasta with pumpkin sauce and Parmesan cheese.

CREAMY PUMPKIN MOLE

Steps:

• Heat small saucepan on medium heat. Add ancho pepper; cook 2 min. on each side or until color changes. Remove from heat; let cool. Shake out seeds. Place pepper in boiling water. Let stand 20 min. or until pepper hydrates and softens; drain.
• Place pepper and remaining ingredients in blender container; cover. Blend until smooth.
• Pour into small saucepan. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to soft boil. Spoon over cooked meat or rice or in tamales.

SPICY GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CREAMY PUMPKIN MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chile pieces; toast until aromatic and lighter in color around edges, pressing with potato masher or back of fork and turning pieces, about 2 minutes. Set aside one 2-inch piece of chile for garnish; transfer remaining pieces to medium bowl. Cover chiles in bowl with hot water; soak until soft, about 30 minutes.
• In same large pot, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion rings and garlic. Sauté until brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to processor, leaving oil in pot. Add bread slice to pot; cook until golden, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer bread to processor (reserve pot). Add tomatoes to processor. Puree mixture until smooth. Transfer tomato puree to small bowl (do not clean processor).
• Drain ancho chiles and place in processor. Add 1/2 cup broth and 2 chipotle chiles. Puree until smooth.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil to reserved pot. Heat over medium-high heat. Add ancho chile puree; cook until puree thickens and darkens, stirring often, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add tomato puree. Simmer until thick, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin and 3 cups broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until mole thickens and reduces to 3 1/3 cups, about 30 minutes. Whisk in cream and sugar. Season to taste with salt.
• Puree 2 tablespoons oil and 2 chipotle chiles in small processor or force through sieve to make thick glaze. Transfer to bowl. (Mole and glaze can be made 3 days ahead. Cover separately and chill.)
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Rewarm mole. Spread chipotle glaze thinly over both sides of chicken breasts. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt. Grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plates. Spoon mole over each. Crumble reserved ancho chile piece; sprinkle over chicken. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime.

CREAMY MASHED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Remove the seeds and skin from pumpkin and cut into smaller pieces.
• Boil steam or microwave the pumpuntil until tender.
• Drain pumpkin and mash the pumpkin until smooth, add grated cheese, cream (enough to make smooth) , pepper and salt and continue to mash until cheese has melted.

CREAMY PUMPKIN SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir shallots until soft, about 10 minutes. Add butter and allow to melt. Whisk flour into butter mixture until incorporated. Stir cream, salt, and cinnamon into butter mixture and continue whisking until incorporated, about 2 minutes.
• Mix pumpkin and 1/2 cup chicken broth into cream mixture, adding more broth, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Simmer sauce until desired consistency is reached, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir sage and thyme into sauce.