Pumpkin Seed

Market tip: All rainbow trout sold in markets are sustainably farm-raised.

If you can't find raw unhulled pumpkin seeds, you can substitute 6 ounces of the hulled (green) ones, but the pipián (seed-thickened sauce) will be richer. Active time: 1 3/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

The name of this cake derives from the flavors that are reminiscent of the classic mole, an aromatic, delicious chocolaty savory sauce that originated in Pueblo, Mexico. I have always thought that dried chiles were a surprisingly good match for chocolate, and with the addition of canela, cloves, and pumpkin seeds, the full mole flavors emerge. For a shortcut, substitute sectioned grapefruit for the orange caramel.

"During a vacation in Scottsdale, Arizona, my brother-in-law took me to his favorite restaurant, Cowboy Ciao," writes Linden Avery of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. "It serves a very colorful, delicious chopped salad called a Stetson. Could you get the recipe so I can re-create it at home?" This main-course salad is presented with the ingredients lined up in rows. For convenience, you could just toss the salad instead.

At the restaurant, the lamb is served with cilantro-corn mashed potatoes.

Chef Lisa Ahier likes the flavor of Key limes or Mexican limes, which she can buy locally and year-round, for the marinade below. But even if you use regular lime juice, you'll love this chicken, which is as delicious at room temperature as it is hot. In fact, Gourmet's food editors couldn't get enough of it.

Chicken in Pumpkin-Seed Sauce

You'll need six baby loaf pans for this recipe. Look for disposable ones at the market.

Mole Poblano Mole is very time-consuming to make, but you can begin up to three days ahead. The results are well worth the effort. In Mexico, this is served with rice or unfilled tamales.

Pan-roasting or toasting in a dry cast-iron skillet is a cooking technique used often in Mexican cuisine. We use it here to bring up the flavors of corn, onion, and pumpkin seeds. We created this salad as a main course, but it's also a terrific side dish. Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 1 hr

As the story goes, the Maya served this dish to the Spaniards, calling it papadzules, which means "food for the lords."

Pipián is an earthy, pureed seed sauce that is traditional in Mexican cooking. Serve this dish with rice to soak up the sauce.

Party alert: This spicy snack is perfect with chilled sparkling wine or ice-cold beer.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.