Green Mole Tacos (Tacos de Mole Verde)

Roast the poblano. Roast the poblano on an open flame or close up under a hot broiler, turning regularly until the skin is evenly blistered and blackened. Cool until handleable, then rub off the blackened skin, tear open, pull out the seed pod and stem, then briefly rinse the chile to remove any stray seeds or bits of skin. Roughly chop the roasted flesh and scoop into a blender jar.

Make the mole base. In a large (4-quart) saucepan, combine the tomatillos with the garlic and onion. Measure in 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt, then bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat until the tomatillos have almost completely lost their bright green color (flip them over halfway through for even cooking), 7 or 8 minutes total. While the tomatillos are cooking, measure the sesame seeds into a dry skillet, set over medium heat and toast, stirring very frequently, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes—don’t let them darken too much. Scrape into the blender with the poblano. Add the toasted pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs, spices and oregano. When the tomatillos are ready, tip off the liquid into a measuring cup, then scoop the vegetables into the blender jar (do this in batches if all of it won't fit into your blender).

Blend as smooth as possible.

Cook the mole. Dry the saucepan (no need to wash it) and return it to medium heat. When hot, add the oil, wait a few moments for it to start shimmering, then add the puree all at once. Stir nearly continuously as the mixture reduces and thickens, about 5 minutes—don’t cook it so long that it darkens to a drab olive color. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved tomatillo-cooking liquid, reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure the sauce isn’t sticking on the bottom. If the mole is thicker than gravy, stir in a little water. Taste and season with salt, usually a scant 2 teaspoons.

Finish the dish. I’ve made more mole verde than we need here, so scoop out about a cup to use later (it is delicious over grilled or broiled fish). Add the chicken to the mole in the pan and let it warm through. Serve with warm tortillas and the onions and cilantro for everyone to make tacos.