Chile Verde

Tender smothered pork
A taste of New Mexico
Flavorful green sauce

Chile Verde

Chile Verde Adapted from Make It Do

Rice Slightly Adapted from Rick Bayless

Ingredients:

Chile Verde -

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 lbs pork loin, trimmed & cut into 1" pieces

Salt

Pepper

1 large onion, chopped small

1 Anaheim pepper, seeded & minced

1 tsp minced garlic

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

14.5 oz can petit-cut diced tomatoes with juice

28 oz fire roasted, diced mild green chiles (I used La Victoria 4oz cans)

1/4 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp flour

*Of course you can roast, peel, seed, and chop your own chiles.  Make sure you use mild green chiles and factor in the extra prep time!

Serve With: 

Arroz Blanco (Mexican white rice) -

2 tbsp vegetable/canola oil

1 1/2 cups long grain white rice (dry)

1 small white onion, chopped fine

1 tsp minced garlic

2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp lime juice

1 1/4 tsp salt

*Alternately, you could serve the Chile Verde with plain white rice.  The Arroz Blanco is truly delicious, though.  You won't be sorry that you made it!

Directions:

1.  Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat until shimmering-hot.  Add half of the pork.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sear the outside of the pork (you are not trying to cook it through).  Transfer the pork to a plate.

2.  Add another 1 tbsp oil to the pot.  Add the 2nd half of pork.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sear and transfer to the plate with the first batch of pork. Set aside.

3.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Add the last 1 tbsp oil to the pot.  Add the onion and 1/8 tsp salt.  Cook until the onions are just beginning to soften.  Add the Anaheim chile.  Continue to cook until the onions are translucent and the chile has softened.

4.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.  Immediately add the chicken broth.

5.  Add the tomatoes, fire-roasted chiles, and cumin.  Add the pork back to the pot.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a simmer.

6.  Reduce the heat to low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pork is very tender - about 2 1/2 hours (you could certainly use a Crock Pot here).  

7.  For the Rice: preheat the oven to 350°.  Place a medium oven-safe stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the oil.

8.  Once the oil is hot, add the rice, the onion, and the garlic.  Reduce the heat to medium.

9.  Cook, stirring often, until the rice has turned opaque and the onions have softened.  You are not trying the brown the rice or onions.

10.  Add the broth, lime juice, and salt.  Stir to combine.  Increase the heat to high.  When the liquid begins to boil, place a lid on the pot and transfer it to the oven.

11.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the pot from the oven, stir the rice mixture.  Replace the lid and return the pot to the oven.  Bake for 15 minutes more.  Fluff the rice mixture with a fork.