Green Chile Stew with Bacon

INGREDIENTS

• 4-5 pounds chile peppers
• 4-5 tomatillos
• 1 medium onion
• 2-3 pound pork roast
• 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 pound bacon (optional)
• 5 red potatoes
• 5 cups chicken or beef stock
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• Vegetable or canola oil
• Lemon and lime juice
• Salt and pepper
• Water as required

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash all the peppers and tomatillos.
3. Cut all of the peppers in half. Take off the stems. Deseed if desired. Cut the onion into quarters.
4.  Either place the peppers, onion and tomatillos into a Dutch oven or place them, skin-side up, onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle vegetable or canola oil over the vegetables.
5. Roast for 40 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, until very fragrant.
6. While the peppers are roasting, cut the pork roast into 1-inch cubes.
7. In a medium pan, fry the bacon. Remove the bacon to a side dish.
8. In the same pan, begin browning the pork cubes in small batches on high heat. Do not crowd the cubes.
9. Remove the pork cubes to a separate dish.
10. When the vegetables are done roasting, put them into a food processor or blender along with the chopped garlic. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice. Blend until pureed.
11. Add the chicken or beef stock to a large pot, along with the vegetable puree, the pork, the bacon if being used, the cumin, the pork bones (if a roast with bone in was used) and the potatoes.
12. On medium heat, bring to a simmer. Take it down to low heat, and, stirring occasionally, simmer for 2 to 5 hours.
13. If the liquid level gets too low, add water or stock.
14. When done, remove the pork bone to a dish. Remove any remaining meat from the pork bone and add the meat back to the stew. Throw away the bones.
15. Salt and pepper to taste.
16. Add 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup lime juice to the stew and stir in. Add more juice as desired.
17. Serve or cool and serve the following day.

 

This green chile stew may not be green as chile verde, but it is just as delicious.

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