Green Chile Verde

Okay here is one of those recipes of mine I warned about that would take a bit of extra time, but I am telling you it is not only wonderful and worth it, you will get extra meals out of it and leftovers that save you a night or two of cooking are always a good thing. Another bonus is that this is a crock pot meal, if you have one. If not, stove top will work in a heavier bottomed pot. With a little extra prep and chopping, you can leave this all day and not think about it again until you are ready to serve.

If you have never used tomatillos, you should! I tried them for the first time last year in this recipe and some other sauces and I am hooked. They are easy to find at my regular grocery store. I have seen them even at Wal Mart. They look like this:

What You Need:

1 pound tomatillos- husks removed and washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 lbs boneless country style pork ribs (you can also use beef or even chicken, if you prefer)
2 cans (4 oz each) of diced green chiles
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves
2 jalapeno peppers (remove ribs and seeds to lessen heat, or not if you like hot)
1 tbs oregano
salt and pepper
Season to taste with cumin or other spices of your choice

Quarter tomatillos and puree until smooth in blender or food processor, set aside.
Brown your choice of meat in oil and season with salt and pepper. (I use the boneless pork ribs)
Chop onion, garlic, and jalapenos in food processor or by hand.
Add the tomatillo puree, chopped vegetables, diced green chiles, oregano and 1 cup water to the pot with the browning pork and bring to a high simmer. Add spices like cumin or other to your taste.
I then put the meat and mixture into the crock pot and let it cook all day on low.

Extra tips:
I like the sauce to be a little thicker than it ends up, so about 30 minutes before serving, I make a rue with 5 tablespoons of butter and 4 tablespoons of flour in a small saucepan. Combine and cook until the flour is browned, stirring constantly and then add to the crock pot. You could also use cornstarch rather than a rue. I would also recommend leaving some of the jalapeno seeds and adding spices for more heat.

Serve over rolled tortillas with cheese or over rice. Garnish with your favorite toppings.