The Delicious Green Chili Dish
Go to most taco shops in the Southwestern United States or Mexico and chili verde will be on the menu. Chili verde is a classic Mexican meal, albeit with a somewhat sorted background. Although the classic pork chili verde is based on Carne De Puerco En Chile Verde (translated as "pork with green chilies"), like traditional chili con carne, chili verde dishes have taken many different paths.
The basics of green chili are very simple. Central to the dish is pork shoulder that's seared and then simmered in green things, including tomatillos, onions, and a few different chilies. The stew is a preferred filling for burritos, tacos, enchiladas, and totally scrumptious all by itself when served with spanish rice and flour tortillas.
Some recipes call for pureeing raw tomatillos, chilies and garlic, and mixing them with the pork shoulder to simmer. That's the quick method, but it lacks a certain southwest flavor. The secret to a genuine recipe is flame roasting the tomatillos, chilies and garlic to bring out the flavor.
There is no denying a fantastic chili verde. The fresh, savory flavors of the "green mixture" are highlighted by the juicy goodness of tender, slow-cooked pork is pure South West heaven.
The ideal way to make magic happen with this recipe is to go 100% fresh and do everything by hand. That's how it's done down south, and it makes all the difference. You brown or roast everything, which gives the dish its tangy, smoky, POW taste. Plus, if you hand chop everything -- instead of taking them from a jar or running it through a food processor -- you get a wonderful authentic texture.
For me the tomatillos are a bit tart for my taste so I add 2 unique ingredients that you don't find in most recipes. I didn't discover this on my own. I was introduced to the special flavor from a Mexican-American woman who makes fresh tamales that are completely out unlike any I have ever tasted.
The 2 unusual ingredients are honey and cinnamon. The honey reduces the acidity and tartness from the tomatillos and peppers. The cinnamon enhances the flavor in the peppers and the other spices. Most people can't identify the flavor until you tell them what it is.
To correctly make this dish the tomatillos, garlic and peppers must be roasted. Cut the tomatillos down the middle and place them cut side down on a foil-lined cooking sheet, together with 6 unpeeled garlic cloves, two jalapeno peppers and 2 Anaheim or Poblano chili peppers. Put under a broiler for five to seven minutes to slightly blacken the skins. Remove from oven. Put the chilies in a bag to cool. Once cooled, remove the skin, seeds and stem. Chop fine. That's the essentials of the verde sauce.
The basics of green chili are very simple. Central to the dish is pork shoulder that's seared and then simmered in green things, including tomatillos, onions, and a few different chilies. The stew is a preferred filling for burritos, tacos, enchiladas, and totally scrumptious all by itself when served with spanish rice and flour tortillas.
Some recipes call for pureeing raw tomatillos, chilies and garlic, and mixing them with the pork shoulder to simmer. That's the quick method, but it lacks a certain southwest flavor. The secret to a genuine recipe is flame roasting the tomatillos, chilies and garlic to bring out the flavor.
There is no denying a fantastic chili verde. The fresh, savory flavors of the "green mixture" are highlighted by the juicy goodness of tender, slow-cooked pork is pure South West heaven.
The ideal way to make magic happen with this recipe is to go 100% fresh and do everything by hand. That's how it's done down south, and it makes all the difference. You brown or roast everything, which gives the dish its tangy, smoky, POW taste. Plus, if you hand chop everything -- instead of taking them from a jar or running it through a food processor -- you get a wonderful authentic texture.
For me the tomatillos are a bit tart for my taste so I add 2 unique ingredients that you don't find in most recipes. I didn't discover this on my own. I was introduced to the special flavor from a Mexican-American woman who makes fresh tamales that are completely out unlike any I have ever tasted.
The 2 unusual ingredients are honey and cinnamon. The honey reduces the acidity and tartness from the tomatillos and peppers. The cinnamon enhances the flavor in the peppers and the other spices. Most people can't identify the flavor until you tell them what it is.
To correctly make this dish the tomatillos, garlic and peppers must be roasted. Cut the tomatillos down the middle and place them cut side down on a foil-lined cooking sheet, together with 6 unpeeled garlic cloves, two jalapeno peppers and 2 Anaheim or Poblano chili peppers. Put under a broiler for five to seven minutes to slightly blacken the skins. Remove from oven. Put the chilies in a bag to cool. Once cooled, remove the skin, seeds and stem. Chop fine. That's the essentials of the verde sauce.
About the Author:
For the complete chili verde recipe and history of chili verde, visit my Squidoo lens.
Custom Search