Title: Pork-Chili Stew
Categories: Pork Stew Chili
Yield: 1 Recipe

1		Bunch of Anaheims OR - Poblano chiles
		Chicken broth
		Onions
		Flour
		Garlic
		Cumin
		Mexican oregano

On the last episode of "Re: nuevo chile", we heard Richard say to Kathy:

RD> It would be interesting, chili wars notwithstanding, if some of RD> y'all from out west could post up some authentic comparisons for us RD> Easterners' gustatory gratifications ....

I don't have a real recipe for New Mexico-style chile, although I do make it occasionally when I manage to drag home more fresh Anaheim or Poblano chiles than I can dispose of otherwise. (Kroger's sometimes has BIG bags of them for 99 cents a bag ;-)

What I do is first roast the chiles (either in the broiler or -- better -- over charcoal). The number of chiles I use depends on the size/heat of the chiles, and can range from 2-3 to 10 or more. If the chiles are really hot (it happens sometimes, even with Anaheims), I'll also add 3-4 roasted green bell peppers to give the dish the required pepper taste without rendering it inedible by anyone without an asbestos esophagus.

After the chiles have cooled a bit, I peel and seed them, and cut them into coarse dice. I sometimes (not always) will also roast/peel 5-6 tomatoes to place in the chiles, but tomatoes are optional in this dish, and I usually don't use 'em.

Next, cut up 3-4 pounds of lean boneless pork (beef is sometimes used, but isn't as good in this dish, IMHO, and I would imagine lamb would be very good here indeed).

Coat the meat in seasoned flour, and brown it in hot lard. Remove from the pan and set aside. Toss a couple of chopped onions into the pot, along with a clove or two of garlic. When the onions are golden, I add enough flour to make a roux, and cook until the roux is light brown.

I then add chicken broth to make a fairly thin gravy, the pork, chiles, tomatoes (if used), and season the dish with cumin and Mexican oregano.

Simmer for a couple of hours, until the pork is tender and the flavors have blended. The end dish should have a pronounced green chile/pepper flavor and be the consistancy of a thick stew. It's very good by itself, or as a filling for burritos/soft tacos, and is wonderful reheated the next morning and served as a side dish with scrambled eggs for breakfast. Wes, for some bizarre reason, likes it over rice...

Sorry for the inexact recipe/directions. I learned to make this dish from an ex-neighbor who was or mixed Hispanic/Native American ancestry, and never QUITE got around to rendering her directions into a real recipe. (She served the dish with fry bread, and a pot of white beans on the side -- have no idea whether this was traditional or simply the way she liked it.)

From : Kathy Pitts 1:117/130 Mon 05 Jun 95 12:53

From: Teri Chesser Date: 17 Jun 97 National Cooking Echo Ä

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