pork Chili Verde

Pork Chile Verde
c.1997, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger, all rights reserved


4 pounds pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Flour for dredging
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 yellow onions
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Anaheim or Poblano chiles, cut into 1-inch cubes
2-3 jalapenos, seeds removed, and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, roasted, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed and soaked in a scant amount of water
2 bay leaves
1 bunch cilantro leaves, cleaned and chopped
4 cups chicken stock
Season the pork meat generously with salt and pepper, lightly flour. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium high heat and brown pork chunks well in small batches, on all sides. Lift pork out of pan and place in a wide soup pot. Discard fat and place the onions and peppers in the same skillet and sweat over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until limp, about 5 minutes. Add all of the chiles and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more.
Add the Sauteed vegetables, chopped tomatillos, dried herbs and cilantro to the meat, cover with the chicken stock and bring up to a boil and reduce to a slight simmer. Cook for 2-3 hours uncovered or until the pork is fork tender.
Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with red rice for a delightful contrast.

Pork in Chili Colorado

Yield
4 Servings
Measure Ingredient
1½ pounds Boneless pork shoulder; trimmed of some but not all of its fat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Salt
15 Seco del norte chiles
Boiling water
2 Garlic cloves; coarsely chopped
½ Inch cinnamon stick
1 Bay leaf; preferably Mexican
1 teaspoon (heaped) crumbled dried oregano


The following are from the April 1996 issue of Food & Wine in an article by Diane Kennedy. 1.Arrange the pork in one or two layers in a wide, heavy, flameproof casserole. Barely cover with water, and season with salt. Cover and cook over moderate heat until almost tender, aobut 30 minutes. Drain off most of the broth and reserve, adding enough water to make 2 1/2 cups. Continue to cook the pork uncovered until the fat has been rendered and the meat is slightly browned, about 5 minutes longer. 2.Meanwhile, using a small sharp knife, slit the chiles lenghtwise and remove the stems, seeds adn veins. Cover with boiling water and set aside to soak for 15 minutes. Drain. 3.Pour 1/3 cup of the reserved pork broth into a blender. Add the garlic, cinnamon, bay leaf and oregano and blend until smooth. Add the mixture to the pork in the casserole and fry for a few seconds. 4.Add 1 more cup of the reserved broth and the drained chiles, a few at a time, to the blender and puree. Strain the chiles over the pork through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to extract as much of the flesh and juice as possible. Fry the pork, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, for about 5 minutes longer. 5.Add the remaining pork broth to the casserole and cook over low heat until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spon, about 1 hour. Season with salt. Serve warm. (MAKE AHEAD: The stew can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Rewarm over moderately low heat.)

Red Chile Sauce

2 oz whole dried New Mexico chiles (6)
1 oz whole dried guajillo chiles (6)
4 cups boiling-hot water
3 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar, or to taste
1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
preparation

Rinse chiles and split open, discarding stems, seeds, and ribs.
Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over moderate heat, then toast chiles, skin sides up, in batches, about 30 seconds (be careful not to burn them, or sauce will be bitter). Transfer chiles as toasted to a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Cover bowl and soak chiles, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 15 minutes.

Purée chiles with three fourths of soaking liquid, reserving remainder, in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Pour purée through a coarse sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids, and discard solids. Whisk reserved soaking liquid into chile mixture.

Cook onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano in oil in a large heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in chile mixture and simmer, partially covered, whisking occasionally, until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes. Season with salt, vinegar, and sugar.

Cooks' note:

• Sauce may be made 1 week ahead, then cooled completely and chilled, covered.