Title: Mexican-Style Chili
Categories: Chili Southwest
Yield: 4 Servings

4		Ancho chiles; stemmed and seeded
4		Pasilla chiles; stemmed and seeded
1/2	ts	Cumin seeds
1/2	ts	Coriander seeds
1	tb	Fresh oregano leaves, or
		1-1/2 teaspoon dried
1		Tomatoes; drained, seeded
4		Garlic; coarsely chopped
1		Medium yellow onion; coarsely chopped
2	lb	Pork shoulder; trimmed of fat
		Salt to taste
3	tb	Vegetable oil; more if needed

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ancho and pasilla chiles and press them flat with a spatula. Toast the chiles, turning them over, until they're fragrant and their color changes slightly, about 30 seconds. Remove the chiles from the skillet and put them in a bowl. Cover with about 4 cups of boiling water. Weight them with a plate to keep them submerged, if necessary, and soak until tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a small heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add the cumin and coriander and toast, giving the pan an occasional shake, until the seeds are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Grind the seeds with a mortar and pestle. In the same hot pan, toast the fresh oregano (don't toast dried oregano). Remove the leaves after they've begun to dry out but before they lose all of their green color, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Reserve 1 cup of the liquid from the soaking chiles and drain them. Put the chiles and the reserved liquid in a blender. Add the toasted, ground

cumin and coriander, the toasted (or dried) oregano, the tomatoes, garlic

and onion. Puree until smooth.

Cut the pork into 1/2 inch cubes, pat dry, and season slightly with coarse salt.

In a large, heavy-based skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until very

hot. Brown the pork in the oil in batches (adding more oil to the pan as

needed), being careful not to overload the skillet or the pork will stew in its own juices and not brown. Transfer the browned pork to a plate lined with paper towels. Drain off any excess fat from the skillet, but leave a light coating on the bottom and don't clean the skillet.

To the hot skillet, add the chile puree carefully; it will splatter while

it sizzles. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the browned pork,

reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, untilthe meat is very tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Add a little water to the pan if the

sauce seems too thick. Season with salt to taste and serve.

COOK"S NOTE: I like to serve this stew-like chili with warm tortillas, chopped white onion, sprigs of cilantro, slices of avocado, and grated sharp cheeses. I recommend Cotija or even an aged cheddar.

Contributor: Fine Cooking

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