Pumpkin Seed Habenero Chile

[Guest guest]

From Millenium Restaurant in San Francisco

 

 

Pumpkin Seed Habenero Chile

 

1red onion small dice

3T minced garlic

olive oil as needed

2c pumpkin seeds

½ habenero chile

2t ground cumin

1t dried Oregano

2 T mild new mexican chile powder

1 16 oz can tomatoes – ground up in blender or bur mixer

2c veg stock

corn flour roux: 2T corn flour – olive oil, lightly toasted, cooled

1/3 bu cilantro, minced

1 T fresh epazote, minced

salt to taste

 

Grind pumpkin seeds and habeneros in a food processor, medium fine.

Heat olive oil in heavy skillet , saute onions and garlic over high

until light browned. Add pumpkin seed mix, oregano, cumin, and chile

powder. Stir continuely for 5-7 min until pumpkin seed mix darkens 2

shades. Add tomatoes and stock, simmer 20 min. Add the roux. Add

cilantro and epazote, simmer 5 min. Adjust salt.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for posting this, Bill! I was just thinking of posting a recipe for

Mexican pipian sauce, which is also pumpkin-seed based. This may be an old

favorite for those of you who live nearer to Mexico, but I had never had it till

I visited Mexico recently. It's great -- very flavorful and a little different

from the red or brown Mexican sauces I'm more familiar with.

 

Quick Pipian Sauce

 

(Could serve over chunks of boiled potatoes or cauliflower or over tofu etc.)

 

1 1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/2 cup shelled pistachios

1 - 2 t ground cumin or to taste

1/2 t red pepper flakes or to taste

2T sesame seeds

1 T mild flavored oil

1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced

water or veggie stock

2 jars tomatillo salsa (the green kind)

salt if needed

 

In a heavy wide bottomed saucepan, over medium heat, toast the seeds and nuts,

stirring occasionally, till fragrant and slightly browned. This takes around 5

minutes. Add the cumin, pepper flakes, and sesame seeds about 2 minutes before

you finish toasting the seed/nut mixture.

 

Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool, then grind the mixture in

small batches in a clean coffee grinder or other implement that will give you a

fine powder.

 

Heat the oil in the saucepan and add the garlic. After cooking it for a few

moments, add the salsa and heat on medium until it starts to bubble.

 

Gradually add the seed/nut powder, stirring well. The mixture will thicken a

bit. Continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes, adding stock or water as needed to

attain the proper consistency. (It takes a while for it all to come together as

a sauce.)

 

Gently mix in whatever you are serving it on and heat through.

 

Note that the amount of salt and red pepper you'll want will depend on how

salty/spicy your salsa is. Also, I tend to make up the whole amount of pumpkin

seed powder and then freeze half of it for a later time and only use one jar of

salsa for sauce. It's pretty rich.