Mexican Pork and Tomatillo Chili

I posted this recipe last year and think it would be delicious for the Super bowl coming this weekend. Try it and let me know what you think…

I love Mexican cuisine, especially since it is full of very strong, bold flavors. I make all sorts of preparations including tacos, enchiladas, salsas, guacamole.. the list goes on. I especially love using tomatillos and all the different Mexican chilies out there. For this preparation I used a poblano pepper- which looks like a large jalapeno pepper closer to a regular green pepper. It sometimes has a bit of heat and once its roasted, the sweetness comes out.

I roasted tomatillos, garlic, green onions and the poblano chili with a drizzle of olive oil and salt. I then made a thick sauce by blending all the roasted vegetables and I had a fabulous start to my chili. I had a pork shoulder with bones cut into small flavors for the dish. Any stew meat can be used as long as it can stand up to 2 to 3 hours of cooking. The house smells wonderful while the delicious chili is on the stove. The result is tender, juicy, falling off the bone meat flavored with the most yummy sauce.

I served the chili with corn bread, guacamole and Spanish rice. It was a big hit with everyone, especially since it wasn’t too spicy.

Green Sauce

• 5-6 medium tomatillos, husked removed, cut into quarters
• 4 garlic cloves, with skins
• 3 green onions, cut in half
• 1 poblano chili, cut into half, seeds removed and chopped
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 cups cilantro, cut roughly

Preheat broiler on medium.

In a lined cookie sheet, add the tomatillos, garlic, green onion and the poblano chili. Drizzle olive oil and salt. Mix well and broil for about 7 to 8 minutes or till the vegetables are light brown and charred on the top. Place the roasted vegetables in a blender and add the cilantro and blend till smooth. Keep aside.

• 3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch pieces (bones can be part of it as well- they provide great flavor)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt

In a heavy saucepan, brown the pork in batches sprinkling salt to flavor. Take the pork out and keep aside.

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano

Reheat the saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Saute on a medium high heat till the onions are soft. Add the green sauce and oregano. Mix well and add the pork and the chicken broth. Mix well, bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 hours uncovered till the meat is tender. Check for seasonings and serve with guacamole and corn bread.