Pork (or Chicken) Hatch Green Chile Stew

Flavors and Aromas from the Heart of New Mexico

When I bought and roasted fresh green chiles this fall, the house smelled smoky and sweet — like chile heaven — for a few days. To me, roasting your own chiles is like the savory equivalent to baking cinnamon rolls. The senses fill with the bright greens of the chiles and the textures of working to clean and chop them. The aroma brings memories of trips to New Mexico and some of my absolute favorite foods.

Growing up in Colorado, many families (my own included) had a tradition of making or going out for Mexican or New Mexican food every weekend. New Mexican food is distinct from Mexican food with its own dishes and flavors, many based on green chiles.

Green chile stew – or more familiarly called “green chili” – is quick to make if you’ve already prepped the chiles. All you need is a few minutes to get the chili going and then time to let it simmer.

Green chili makes an incredible main dish with tortillas or cornbread and a simple salad on the side. For dinner, breakfast or brunch, it’s also a delicious sauce over main dishes like burritos, enchiladas, or huevos rancheros.

~ Lee

What’s your favorite way to serve up and eat green chili? Let us know in the comments, or take a photo and tag @burnttoast_foodblog on Instagram.

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Pork or Chicken Hatch Green Chile Stew

by Burnt Toast Food Blog December-7-2018

Delicious green chile is a meal in itself or a tasty sauce over enchiladas, burritos or egg dishes. Make it with pork or chicken and mild or hot roasted green chilis. So good.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tomatoes, chopped (or 1 14- to 15-ounce can diced tomatoes)
• 2 cups chopped, fresh green chiles – roasted, peeled and seeded (about 10-12 large) (see notes)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (or oregano)
• 1 cup chicken broth (preferably low sodium)

Instructions

1. Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat but don’t let it smoke. Turn the heat to medium-high and immediately add the pork. Cook, stirring, until just browned on all sides. 2. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. 3. Return the heat to medium. Stir in the flour and cook about 2 minutes. 4. Add the tomatoes, green chiles, salt, pepper, sugar, and oregano. Mix well. Add the chicken broth, scraping up the brown bits from the pan bottom. 5. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is tender. Stir occasionally. Ladle into individual bowls, and serve with flour tortillas and sliced avocado. Notes: - Use mild, medium or hot green chiles, according to your preference. We used 3 medium-hot and the rest mild, which gave it a little kick. - To prepare fresh green chiles: roast under the broiler or on the grill, turning, until charred on all sides. Place in a plastic bag for a few minutes to let them steam and make it easier to remove the peel. It’s recommended to use food safe gloves while working the chiles. With a fine, sharp paring knife, remove the stem end, peel, and gently scrape away the seeds. Prepared chiles can be made ahead and stored for a day or two, or frozen until ready to use. - For an extra flavor boost, roast the garlic clove with your green chiles. No need to mince, simply squeeze the garlic clove into the sauce and mash it in. - If fresh green chiles aren’t available, substitute frozen or about 4 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles. - If using canned tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes add more smoky flavor. - Pork is traditional and adds more flavor, but we’ve successfully substituted chicken. - If using as a sauce, cut the pork into smaller pieces, about 1/2 inch. Delicious over burritos, huevos rancheros, or enchiladas.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 1 hour 45 mins Total time: 2 hours (plus an hour to roast and prepare fresh green chiles) Yield: 4 servings as stew; 6-8 servings as sauce