Mole Baked Pumpkin Enchiladas
Recipe Date:
November 17, 2022
Serving Size:
6
Cook Time:
01:00:00
Difficulty:
Easy
Measurements:
Imperial (US)
There are hundreds, potentially thousands of different mole recipes all varying in styles and flavors. The common denominator in all moles is that they take a lot of love, time, and attention to detail. This recipe may seem a bit intensive, but it is an abbreviated version of many moles. A rich and robust mole paired with roasted pumpkin can easily be a meatless star of the show.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white onions - chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup dried chili powder
- 3 tbsps tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup pepitas/pumpkin seeds
- 1 seeded chipotle pepper (from a can)
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1 1/2 ozs 70% dark chocolate
- 1 sugar pie pumpkin or small butternut squash
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ozs shredded jack cheese
- 12 corn tortillas
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the pumpkin in half, discard the seeds, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Dress the pumpkin with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt before roasting until tender (30-40 minutes). Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- While roasting the pumpkin, make the mole. In a large, thick bottomed pot, sweat the onions and garlic in the olive oil with the cinnamon and chili powder. Continue cooking until the onions begin to soften and the spices are very aromatic (~3-4 minutes). Add the tomato paste, stock, pepitas and raisins to the pot and continue to simmer and stir for ~10 minutes. Transfer the ingredients in the pot to a blender (this may need to be done in batches). Remove the center cap from the blender lid and replace with a tea towel to allow steam to escape while you blend on high. While blending, add in the chipotle pepper, almond butter, and then the chocolate. Check for seasoning before removing the mole from the blender. If it’s still very thin, transfer back to the pot and continue to reduce until thickened.
- Scoop the flesh of the pumpkin from the skins and transfer to a bowl. Stir in half of the cheese, season with salt if needed and set aside.
- Prepare a ~9” glass baking dish for the enchiladas by spooning in a thin base layer of the mole. The baking dish should be about the same length as the tortillas. In a non-stick pan, bring the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to a medium/low heat. One at a time soften the tortillas in the warm oil before laying them on a plate or tray to be filled with a couple of spoonfuls of the pumpkin filling. Roll tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish. Continue this process until the dish is full and the pumpkin filling is gone. Spoon more of the mole over the top of the enchiladas and finish with a sprinkling of the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake in the 375° oven for ten minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional five minutes before serving.
Take a look at our recommended pairing below.
