Before I continue I want to give my friend Ruth Alegria a big shout out. She has been a guide, inspiration and friend to me for the past 3 or 4 months. Even though she is not Mexican, her passion for Mexico and its food is inspirational. You can read more about her on this post and visit her blog here. If you are interested in a tour or cooking class in Mexico City, please visit her website. I promise you will love it!

Mexican moles come in a great variety of flavors and colors. Almost every region of the country has at least one variety of mole. Moles from Puebla, Oaxaca and San Pedro Actocpan in southern Mexico City are particular popular because of their variety in flavors. One of my favorite moles is pipian. Pipian is a kind of mole that uses pepitas (pumpkin seeds) as thickener. These moles have a very distinctive nutty and earthy flavor.

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that JJ Goode and his friend Matt cooked at Ruth’s kitchen when they were visiting Mexico and one of the dishes they prepared was Red Pipian. Even though I had tasted this pipian before. I had never participated in the preparation before. It turned out so delicious that it made my first pipian (more than two years ago) look like a bad amateur attempt. But that’s OK, this is the reason I came to Mexico. To learn the secrets and techniques of the amazing Mexican cuisine.

Here’s the recipe to this pipian courtesy of the Princeton Cooking School in Mexico, Ruth’s cooking school.

Tips:

• Ruth uses clay pots to cook. This gives the food a more earthy flavor.
• You can add more chicken stock if the sauce is too thick.
• You can use any other type of meat like chicken or pork. But the veal here was perfect for the pipian.

 

¡Buen provecho!