Maya Dailey is the founder and owner of Maya’s Farm, located in the urban setting of Phoenix, Arizona, on three-quarters of an acre at the Farm at South Mountain, and four acres just next door. Maya supplies certified organic vegetables, herbs, flowers, and eggs to local markets, restaurants, and schools.
Chile verde is one of Maya’s favorite comfort foods, which, not surprisingly, she makes with her own tomatillos and peppers, topping each bowl with a generous shower of torn fresh cilantro leaves.
Exerpt from the Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup good-quality cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat (leave some on for good flavor) and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground Chimayo green chile powder (see kitchen note)
- 1 dried pailla chile, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 12 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and finely chopped
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
- 2 serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 anaheim chiles, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock (store-bought is fine)
- 1 (15 ounce) can or 2 cups green chiles (Maya uses Bueno brand, which is sold frozen and comes mile, hot, or extra hot)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat until sizzling.
2. While the oil heats, season the flour generously with salt and pepper. Toss the pork cubes with the seasoned flour until well coated; shake off any excess. Add the floured cubes to the hot oil in batches and cook until nicely browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the pork to a plate as it browns.
3. Add the cumin, chile powder, and pasilla chile to the oil left in the pot and stir to combine well; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until you can smell their fragrance, about 1 minute. Add the green onions, tomatillos, yellow onions, fresh chiles, and bell pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring a few times, until the onions are caramelized, about 30 minutes. Add the meat back to the pot along with the stock and green chiles and let simmer until the flavors come together and the pork is tender, about 45 minutes, although Maya says, “It can simmer forever--the longer you simmer, the better it gets!” Adjust the heat as needed to prevent any scorching on the bottom.
4. To serve, ladle into bowls and tear the cilantro leaves right over the stew.
Kitchen Note: Shop for ground Chimayo chile and dried pasilla chiles online.
Serves 4 to 6
