Green Chili Stew

It's almost October, our Texas summers of 110* heat is starting to fade with the welcoming of the cool breeze in the evenings.  Dan and I went out and harvested our green chilis again tonight....sadly we will only get a couple more dozen chilis before it's the end of our nice little pepper garden.

We love going to New Mexico, the home of green chili stew.  I've been thinking about how to create the best green chili stew.  To use chicken or pork? how many chili's where Dan and the kids will be able to enjoy it (I love spicy).

Chili Verde (in Texan, Green Chile Stew)

* Boneless pork loin, salt & pepper

* Onion, diced

* 3 garlic cloves
* 6 roasted green chile
* tomatillos

* 4 cups chicken broth

ROASTING PEPPERS:

If you're from the Lone Star State, chances are, you know how to roast a pepper....and you probably have your special way.  I've come up with my little 'special way' since I don't have a gas grill (to roast them on).  I simply turn the oven to Broil-High.   Line a cookie sheet with some parchment paper, spray the peppers with oilve oil & cook for a couple of minutes.  Once the skin is blistered and black, use tongs to flip 'em over and cook for a few more minutes.  Once they have had time to cool down, peel the skin off & take the seeds out.

WARNING: Make sure you change your babies diapers, use the restroom yourself *before* you deseed and remove skin from the peppers!!!

MAKING CHICKEN STOCK:

I always use water and chicken base to make my chicken stock.  I do this, because it gives my 1 & 2 (soon to be 2 & 3) year old babies to help.  They LOVE helping in the kitchen, so making broth is a simple and fun way for them to participate. 

The pork loins I buy normally have two in a bag.  Heat up olive oil in a dutch oven and add one of the pork loins.  Sear all sides of the loin, then set aside and repeat with the second loin. 

With both pork loins resting, add a bit more olive oil to your dutch oven, add diced onion and saute until translucent (about 10 min).  Add your smashed garlic cloves and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. 

Reintroduce your pork loin to your pot and add the chicken stock.

Let this simmer for at least 30 minutes.  I prefer cooking most everything on a low temp for a long time.  Makes it sooo tender!

SALSA VERDE:

I roast my tomatillos the same way I do peppers....stick 'em in the Broiler-High and roast 'till tops are getting brown/black.  If using fresh tomatillos, remove husk, wash, cut in half, put cut side up on the cookie sheet and spray with olive oil.  If using tomatillos from a can, don't cut in half but everything else is the same.

Once tomatillos have roasted, put them into a bowl along with the roasted peppers.  I add a couple of ladels of the pork broth along with some oregano and smoked paprika (I'm addicted to smoked paprika & add to most everything)  I use a hand mixer to blend everything together. 

Now you just add your tomatillo salsa to your pork and simmer!
You know its ready when you can use 2 forks to shread the pork loin. 
Bon Appetit!