![Peach 'Doughnuts'](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/07/29/dining/29MARTHA/29MARTHA-mediumThreeByTwo440.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
Asparagus, Green Beans and Potatoes With Green Mole Sauce
![Asparagus, Green Beans and Potatoes With Green Mole Sauce](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/06/03/science/02recipehealth/02recipehealth-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- About 50 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
- ½cup hulled untoasted pumpkin seeds
- ½pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and coarsely chopped
- 1serrano chile or ½ jalapeño (more to taste), stemmed and roughly chopped
- 3romaine lettuce leaves, torn into pieces (about 1½ cups / 1½ ounces)
- ¼small white onion, coarsely chopped, soaked for 5 minutes in cold water, drained and rinsed (optional)
- 2garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed
- ¼cup loosely packed chopped cilantro, plus additional for garnish
- ½teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
- 1½cups vegetable stock, garlic broth or chicken stock
- 1tablespoon canola or extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- ½ to ¾pound asparagus
- ½ to ¾pound green beans
- ¾ to 1pound boiling potatoes or Yukon golds, cut in wedges
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat a heavy Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat and add pumpkin seeds. Wait until you hear one pop, then stir constantly until they have puffed and popped, and smell toasty. They should not get any darker than golden or they will taste bitter. Transfer to a bowl or a baking sheet and allow to cool.
- Step 2
Place cooled pumpkin seeds in a blender and add tomatillos, chiles, lettuce, onion, garlic, cilantro, cumin, salt, and ½ cup of the stock. Cover blender and blend mixture until smooth, stopping blender to stir if necessary.
- Step 3
Heat oil in the Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a bit of the blended mixture and if it sizzles, add the rest. Cook, stirring, until mixture darkens and thickens, about 5 minutes. (Hold the lid above the pot to shield you and your stove from splatters.) Add remaining stock, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring often, until sauce is thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt. You should have about 2 cups.
- Step 4
Steam potato wedges above 1 inch boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Steam asparagus and green beans for 5 minutes, or blanch for the same amount of time in salted boiling water. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and drain again on a kitchen towel.
- Step 5
Arrange the vegetables on a platter or plates and spoon mole sauce over, or heat through in the sauce, in the saucepan. Serve with rice or corn tortillas if desired.
- Advance preparation: The sauce can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated. It also freezes well. Whisk or blend to restore its consistency after thawing.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
We prefer roasted veggies so will make that adjustment next time.
Saved for the sauce, which is excellent
I have a community garden plot and usually grow one or two tomatillo plants each year. They always produce much more than I can use fresh, so I end up freezing a lot (whole, husked). I used frozen tomatillos for this recipe but the color of the mole came out more greyish-brown than green. It tasted fine, but didn't look appetizing. I'd suggest cutting asparagus and beans to 2" or 3" pieces so it's not awkward to plate up and eat with the potatoes. Otherwise, this was wonderful.
Advertisement