Last Thanksgiving, The Forward, one of America’s oldest Jewish publications, republished a piece by Aviya Kushner in which the language columnist contended that Jews love the November holiday because they are “linguistically rooted in gratitude, and the word for Jew in Hebrew — Yehudi — is directly tied to the word for thankfulness, or hodaya.”
Make this Thanksgiving your most festive yet, with these tasty and unique recipes excerpted from “Pati Jinich: Treasures Of The Mexican Table: Classic Recipes, Local Secrets” (Harvest). A Chevy Chase resident and native of Mexico City, Jinich is the James Beard Award-winning and Emmy Award-nominated host of PBS’s “Pati’s Mexican Table.”
Green Beans in Corn Sauce with Pumpkin Seeds/Chulibul
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds (You can substitute roasted salted pumpkin seeds for the raw ones, but don’t toast and salt them, just grind them.)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 large ear)
- 1 cup water
- 3 to 4 fresh sprigs epazote or cilantro
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 fresh habanero, serrano, or jalapeno chile, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Instructions
- Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast until they are lightly colored and starting to jump or pop, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
- Transfer the pumpkin seeds to a food processor, add 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt, and pulse until finely ground. Set aside.
- Combine the fresh corn, water, and epazote or cilantro in a blender and puree until smooth.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the green beans, sprinkle with 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to turn brighter green. Pour the pureed corn over the green beans, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often so that the sauce doesn’t stick to the pan, until the beans are tender and the puree has reduced to a creamy, thick sauce.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and chile and cook until softened and starting to color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until translucent, less than a minute. Add the tomatoes and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are softened and pasty, 5 to 8 minutes. Scrape the beans with the corn sauce onto a platter. Top with the tomato salsa, garnish with the ground pumpkin seeds, and serve.
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