Pork Chile Verde

This winter I have been using a different CSA, called Full Circle.  Much of what they provide is local, but during the winter some of the produce, though all organic, comes from places that are warm enough to be growing things right now.  I like this new CSA quite a bit, and also love that I can just go online and add some eggs to my upcoming order, or some local goat cheese or tofu or sausage or just about anything I might want, almost all of it locally sourced.  And so I recently added pork steak from Heritage Meats, in Rochester, WA, to my order and decided I would make chile verde with it.

I love green sauces in general, from Argentinian chimichurri to the tarragon-based sauce verte au pain in France.  I am a big fan of fresh herbs, and green sauces typically make use of a lot of good fresh (and healthy) herbs.  This version is one that I usually just make from the top of my head, and I use it with pork or chicken.  It is super healthy, super easy to make and really delicious.  I often serve it over brown rice, topped with cilantro and avocado, and with the leftovers I make tacos.  Just quick-pickle some cabbage for a nice tangy addition to the taco, and you will be in heaven. This is also a great sauce for enchiladas, and I make a vegetarian mushroom and sweet potato version using this verde. It really is quite versatile.

Pork Chile Verde
From LaFemmeCooks
(serves 4)

2 lbs pork steak, butt or shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch cubes
1 lb tomatillos, husked
1 jalapeno
1 poblano chile
3 garlic cloves unpeeled
1 onion
3/4 cup cilantro, rinsed, plus more chopped for garnish
2 limes
1 tbs mexican oregano (not italian)
2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper

Cut the onion into quarters and place on large baking sheet, along with garlic cloves, chilis, and tomatillos.  Drizzle with olive oil and roast at 400 degrees until chilis have blackened and onions and  tomatillos have softened and charred a bit, about 20 minutes.  Take out of oven and let cool slightly.

In the meantime, heat oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium high heat and brown pork chunks well in small batches, on all sides. Lift pork out of pan and place in a wide soup pot or dutch oven.

When vegetables have cooled, add them to a blender. Make sure to take the stem out of the poblano and jalapeno, but leave the seeds.  The garlic should easily squeeze out of its shell.  Add freshly squeezed juice of one lime (save the 2nd for garnish), the cilantro, oregano, salt and pepper and half of the chicken stock.  Combine, adding additional stock as necessary until the thickness of the sauce is to your liking.  Pour the sauce over the pork in the soup pot and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Serve warm, over rice and topped with fresh avocado and cilantro and lime, or with fresh corn tortillas and quick-pickled cabbage.

To pickle cabbage, simply slice it thinly and place in a bowl with vinegar, fresh lime juice, a little olive oil.  It doesn’t have to be exact, just let it sit there for at least 20 mins, and an hour or so if you can.  I often slice green onions and add them about half way through.