The Mediadrome - Recipes - Prawns in Pumpkin Seed Mole

Prawns in Pumpkin Seed Mole

Serves 4

Adapted from a recipe by Mary Sue Miliken and Susan Feninger, The Border Grille, Los Angeles. I must say that I was skeptical when I first saw this recipe-romaine lettuce and radish tops? In fact, the addition of the romaine adds an herbal note to the mole sauce, and the radish tops lend a spicy note. Not so much of a bad idea after all.

M
Pumpkin Seed Mole
½ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)		1 tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. black pepper		½ tsp. dried Mexican oregano
10 tomatillos, husked, washed and quartered		2 serrano chiles, seeded and diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed		2 romaine lettuce leaves
1/8 tsp. cinnamon		1 bunch cilantro
2 green tops from a bunch of radishes		1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp. salt		2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. olive oil		2 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
M
Prawns
1 tbsp. olive oil		1 lb. large prawns, shelled and deveined
1 bunch red radishes, thinly sliced
M

Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the pumpkin seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper and dried oregano. Heat the spices until they just begin to smoke and the seeds pop, about 5 minutes. Do not let the seeds turn brown.

Remove the spice mixture to a bowl to cool. When the spices are room temperature, transfer to a coffee bean grinder and grind the spices to a powder.

In a blender or food processor, add the tomatillos, Serrano chiles, garlic, romaine, cinnamon, cilantro, radish tops, onion, salt, sugar and olive oil. Process the mixture until pureed.

Re-heat the cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillo mixture and stir. Stir in the chicken stock. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for 25 minutes. Return the heat to medium-high and add the reserved spice powder. Continue to cook the sauce another 5 minutes.

Return the sauce to the blender and puree a second time. Add the apple cider vinegar to the sauce and puree again. Keep the sauce ready to add to the prawns.

Re-heat the cast iron skillet again to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and then the prawns. Sauté the prawns just until they turn pink, about 1 minute. Turn the prawns over and cook on the second side, another 1 minute.

Pour 1 ½ cups of the pumpkin seed mole into the skillet. Continue to cook until the prawns are done and the sauce is heated through, about 6-8 minutes.

The pumpkin seed mole makes a wonderful salad dressing. Toss the mole with some romaine, salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice and cojaita or peppered feta cheese.