Pumpkin Seed Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound Mexican tomatillos
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon mashed garlic
• 1 poblano chile and 1 fresh jalapeño chile, stems and seeds removed
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (no stems)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup chicken stock or water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup peeled pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons lard (no substitute)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules

Instructions

1. Clean tomatillos, then boil them in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes.
2. Drain and puree in blender with 1/2 cup water and onion, garlic, chiles and cilantro leaves. Pour into a bowl. Add sugar.
3. Over low heat, in a mixture of hot butter and vegetable oil, lightly brown the pumpkin seeds, shaking the pan often and stirring constantly to prevent seeds from scorching. Place seeds in blender container and add 1 cup of chicken stock or water. Puree until thick and creamy.
4. Heat lard in a Dutch oven and pour in the prepared tomatillo sauce. Stir in the pumpkin seed sauce and mix well. Simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes.
5. Taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary. Add chicken bouillon granules and stir well. Cook 2 minutes more.
6. To use, arrange cooked chicken pieces in a casserole. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake, covered, at 325 degrees F until heated through.