Chile Verde

I am famous for several dishes, but this Chile Verde recipe is at the top of the list. Every summer the amazing Hatch chile pepper is made available to us at a few local markets. I usually get mine from Arriba Mexican Grill, where every weekend in August the chiles are brought in from New Mexico and fire roasted right in the parking lot. My friends start getting excited in July when Arriba runs its ads announcing the start of Hatch chile season, and for good reason. While you can get these delicious peppers year-round in cans, nothing compares to driving home with a still warm 4 pound bag of freshly roasted Hatch chiles. The smell is intoxicating, and one never truly knows how hot the batch will be. If you must use canned chiles, make sure you buy the Hatch brand. There is a specific terroir in Hatch, New Mexico that produces a unique breed of chile unmatched by California grown anaheims.

This recipe may seem arduous, but you will discover that the effort is well worth it when the final product is tasted. The yield is fairly high - invite some friends and freeze leftovers.

4 lbs pork shoulder, cubed*
4 lbs fire roasted Hatch chiles, skins and seeds removed, roughly chopped*
8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, both green and white parts, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 brown onion, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp cumin
4 bay leaves
1 Serrano chile, diced*

Working in batches, brown the pork cubes in canola oil over medium-high flame. Do not crowd the pan - you want the pork to brown, not steam. Remove each browned batch to a plate - the pork will not be cooked through, but will be brown on the outside (it will finish cooking in the sauce).

When all the pork has been browned and removed from the pan, add the brown and green onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Add 1 tbsp kosher salt to vegetables. Stir and saute until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the pork back to the pan with any juice remaining on the plate. Add the chicken stock. Add the Hatch chiles.

Add cold water to cover the ingredients in the pan, leaving at least 1 inch between the water and the top of the pan. Stir in the cumin and bay leaves, add 2 tbsp kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.

Place the cover slightly ajar, reduce flame to medium-low, and simmer for at least 1 hour. This dish gets better as it cooks, but after too long (around 3 or 4 hours) the pork will disintegrate and you will have something totally different.

Chile verde is delicious topped simply with sour cream and served with warm flour tortillas. Add a bit of crumbled cotija cheese on top if desired.