Mick's Green Chili

  This is a slightly updated version of the recipe that once appeared on our website. I’ve adjusted some things a little but I don’t mind if you want to make your own adjustments. In fact, I welcome insights, suggestions and questions.
I first encountered Green Chili in the early '80s at Rev. Taylor's restaurant in Niwot, Colorado. It was just about the time that their version of the dish had won a 'Best of ...' award from the Boulder Daily Camera. I was only intermittently carnivorous at the time, having been a vegetarian for a long time and the dish was unknown to me. Green Chili? I was intrigued -- and delighted. Sadly, Rev. Taylor’s is no more but I like to think it lives on in the inspiration it provided for this version of that illustrious dish.
I should add here that this, my version, is not necessarily, a heart-healthy dish though it may well have less fat than your breakfast muffin.
Make the salsa first. You can 'squish' the tomatoes in a bowl with your hands. When I use cilantro I use just the leaves -- I really don't know why -- but this may affect your quantities. I usually get a whole bunch, strip the leaves off, then rinse them and chop them. If you use the lighter stems, too you'll probably get more cilantro -- and, in my book, this can only be a good thing. (If you don't like cilantro, don't even bother with this dish.) Use jalapeños to your taste -- but don't be timid. There will be purists out there who will scowl at all the canned stuff -- who will insist on fresh-roasted chilies, homegrown tomatoes and fresh jalapeños. If you can easily acquire those ingredients, good for you. But tomatoes are often tastier -- and more nutritionally rich -- from a can. Fresh-roasted chilies are seasonal and the canned jalapeño to me has a certain je ne sais quoi that has more to do with warmth than heat. Letting the chili sit overnight softens the effect of the jalapeño, but this is a spicy dish so you might want to try it out before you serve it to your in-laws. Feel free to use less than the whole small can but, again, don't be timid.
If you brown the pork gently, then you can add the cumin at the same time. I like lots of cumin -- and this is my recipe so I suggest at least 1 Tablespoonful (1Tbs) -- more is better. And do not be scared by the amount of oil -- in fact, use more if you want -- it will be skimmed at the end, and more oil can actually help de-fat the pork. And do make sure that you get nicely marbled fatty pork -- this is not a dish that benefits from tough meat.

Salsa:
1 14oz. can tomatoes, chopped
1 4oz. can chopped jalapeños
1 bunch scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
half bunch cilantro, stems removed and chopped
salt and black pepper to taste
Mix all the ingredients together and set aside.
Green chili:
3 lbs or more, boneless shoulder or butt pork roast, cubed
half cup of vegetable oil
1 28oz. can mild green chilies, chopped
1 lb. tomatillos, diced
2 cups chicken stock
half bunch cilantro, stems removed and chopped
cumin
salt and black pepper to taste

Roux
Quarter cup of all-purpose flour
quarter cup of vegetable oil

      Brown the cubed pork in batches in the oil and set aside. Into the remaining oil (or added oil if need be) put the cumin, the chopped chilies, the chopped tomatillos and the chicken stock. Deglaze the pot with the stock. Add the chopped cilantro, half the salsa and return the pork cubes. Mix well and set to simmer for a good 45 minutes to an hour.
While the pot is simmering make the roux. I used to make the roux in the pot as part of the whole cooking procedure but found that this caused the chili the burn while cooking. Now I make the roux at the end and add it.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the flour, sprinkling and mixing. Cook for 5 or more minutes until the flour is a nice blond color or is a little darker. When the chili is simmered well, add the roux a bit at a time and stir it well into the liquid while the pot is on gentle heat. Remove the pot from the heat, let the contents relax and gently skim the fat and oil from the surface. When you have removed what you can, refrigerate the chili and skim again the next day. Like many other stews, this one benefits from being left overnight.
        As always, take your own risks with this - adjust it 'til you like it your way.
Enjoy.

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