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Green Chile, from Bruce Moffitt Recipes.com This dish has sparked more controversy than any other in our part of the world. In the Southwest, from California all the way to Texas, chile is cooked and enjoyed. (Beware of anything, anywhere, that is called "Chili or Chilli"!) Throughout this region, the best cooks get together for chile cooking competitions. The most elite of these cooks work with New Mexico Green Chile, roasted in fire. The competition is as fierce as the dish itself, and each green chili chef develops his own style, but a good cook must start out learning from the basics. Here is a recipe for green chile stew that is simple, very traditional New Mexican, and always good. Pork is usually used now, but almost any domestic or game meat is fine, and venison is wonderful. You can choose to make it with hot, medium or mild chile to your taste. There are many variations common, and many more to be discovered. Consider this recipe to be your green chile starter kit and maybe one of these days I will taste your personal creation around a fire somewhere! To Begin Santa Fe Stew: Fry three or four strips of bacon in a heavy pan. Remove and reserve crisp bacon. Brown 1 lb cubed pork, beef, or other meat in the bacon fat. Add: 5 cloves garlic, diced 2 onions, chopped Saute around until onion browns a bit. Add: 1 can stale beer 5 bay leaves dash of vinegar 1/2 to 1 tsp. cumin seed 1 to 2 Tbl. leaf oregano freshly ground black pepper to taste water to cover Simmer until meat is getting tender, probably an hour or two. Then add: 3 potatoes, cubed salt to taste, tsp sugar, enough water or stock to cover well Simmer until potatoes are beginning to get a bit tender. Stir occasionally, but gently so that you don't break up the potatoes. When potatoes are getting tender, add: a cup or two of roasted and peeled green chile cut into rather large pieces. Simmer a few more minutes until the potatoes are nice and tender. Green chile stew is served in bowls along with freshly heated flour tortillas. Garnish with the bacon. Also nice is a tureen of Pinto Beans so that your guests can add pinto beans to their bowls of green chile as they like. Chopped fresh onion and tomato, more dry oregano leaf, a wedge of fresh lime and a bit of fresh cilantro are also nice options. This is a great eating experience for anything from a winter evening to a Sunday brunch.... ENJOY! |