Chile Verde (Green Chili with Pork)

I do not claim to be an expert on authentic Mexican cuisine.  We first had this Green Chili in a restaurant in New Mexico many years ago.  They served it like a soup/stew with a tortilla on the side to sop up the soupy goodness of the dish.  So this is how I have been making it for years.

We are avid "chili growers" in our small garden--the main purpose being to have chiles to make salsa and chili verde. The classic version features big chunks of pork shoulder, but today I had left over shredded pork shoulder, so that is what I used.

Basic ingredients:  Pork shoulder cooked and cubed or shredded, roasted  anaheim chile peppers, green taco sauce (which includes tomatillos), onion, garlic, and chicken stock/broth.

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The close up of the anaheim chiles, from last summer's garden, which were roasted over hot coals, placed in freezer bags and frozen until time to use them.  This method is really slick because the tough skins of the peppers slide right off after they defrost.

After the peppers are peeled and seeded, chop them up -- or you can use canned green chiles.

Warm some mild olive oil in a dutch oven pan.  Add chopped onion, diced garlic, and the chiles.  Saute until the vegetables are tender.

Sprinkle in about 2 tablespoons of flour and stir to combine--this will be the thickener.

Next pour in chicken stock and stir and cook until it is thickened to your liking.

The cooked, shredded pork is added. 

Mix it all up and season with salt, pepper, cumin, cilantro, and a dash of ground cloves. 

(I repeat, a DASH of ground cloves).

Let the chili verde simmer slowly for up to an hour.  Adjust seasonings and add more chicken stock.

Serve with warm flour tortillas and lots of napkins!

Enjoy friends!

Torta Tex-Icana

We like, like, like Tex-Mex food! So for brunch today, I made this layered casserole.  

The recipe comes from one of my very favorite cookbooks,

"The Border Cookbook, Authentic Home Cooking of the American Southwest and Northern Mexico."

Get all of the ingredients ready.  Roasted green chiles, sweet red peppers, zucchini, onion, green onion, garlic, cheddar cheese, eggs, milk, and whole wheat tortillas.

Here's the exact recipe and a photo of all the ingredients prepped.  

By prepping everything in advance, the torta comes together in a snap.

3/4 C chopped roasted green chile.  (We grow, roast, and freeze our own Anaheim peppers.)
2 or 3 small sweet red bell peppers
1 C grated zucchini (No need to peel it.)
1/4 C chopped onion
3 or 4 green onions, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 eggs beaten with 1/4 C milk
1 to 2 tsp. ground cumin
3 to 4 Tbl grated cheddar cheese
sea salt and ground pepper
whole wheat tortilla

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Warm a tablespoon of light olive oil in a saute' pan.  

Add the onion, garlic, and red bell peppers.  Saute for about 5 minutes.

Next add the grated zucchini.

Add the peeled, seeded, and chopped green chiles.  

You could substitute canned chopped green chiles.

Mix it all up and saute' for another 5 minutes until veggies are soft and the liquid has been absorbed.  

Line a casserole dish with foil, spray with non-stick cooking spray, 

place a whole wheat tortilla in the bottom of the dish.

Top the tortilla with the vegetable mixture, and spread it around evenly.

Beat together the eggs, milk, cumin, salt, and pepper and pour over the veg mixture.

Bake the casserole at 350 F. for 20-30 minutes until puffed, golden brown, and lightly set in the center.  Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.  

Eat it hot or warm.  Serve with salsa and guacamole.

Here's the cookbook I mentioned earlier.

Enjoy friends!  This is yum, Yum, YUM.

With only one whole wheat tortilla in the entire dish,

this is quite a low-carb treat.