Food has always been a major part of my families bonding time. I grew up in a very “nontraditional” Mexican home. My parents never really cooked our cultures food. Most of my friends mothers would make homemade tortillas and tamales weekly but my mother didn’t. It was fun to joke about it but I would wonder what I was missing out on. One year my dad came home and began making green chili stew using my Nana’s recipe. It was amazing to see him make something so new to me. And it was the most delicious food I’ve eaten to this day.
Ever since then, whenever I go to a mexican restaurant, I have to sample their green chili stew whether it be in a burro or accompanied by rice and beans. I’ve tried some pretty good ones and some that were less than decent. But none of these recipes compared to my father’s recreation of my nana’s green chili stew. The main reason his is unique is because he uses potatoes in the recipe, which is the only time I’ve ever had it this way in green or red chili.
However, this recipe takes a few hours to make and is only really made on special occasions like my birthday or my dogs birthday because she loves it too. So when I began cooking, this was one of the first recipes I wanted to try. But it is challenging and I saved it until now.
I watched my father cook this dish a few times but he is very secretive about the exact recipe. And since I’ve watched tons of cooking shows and read different cookbooks, I decided to make my own and try to replicate my father’s recipe.
- 2 white onions, chopped
- 2 pounds of russet potatoes, chopped (1-inch cubes)
- 1 pound tomatillos (husked, rinsed, and halved)
- 2 pounds of pork shoulder or “pork butt” (chopped 1-inch cubes)
- 3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and halved
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes in juice
- 4 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 5 cups water or chicken stock
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1/2 a cup of flour
- Put oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Cook the pork until it is browned then add the onions, potatoes, and garlic. Add the water or chicken stock. Add salt and pepper. Add water then tomatoes, tomatillos, and cilantro and jalapenos. Bring to boil.
- In order to thicken the chili, you will need to add flour. Brown the flour in a skillet. This should only take a minute to a minute and a half because any longer will burn it and leve you chili too smokey. Make sure the flour isn’t in clumps. Whisk out any clumps.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the chili simmer for an hour or so until the meat and potatoes are tender. Stir it every few minutes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Many people top off their green chili with cheese or crisp tortilla strips. Any toppings work well and don’t forget the warm tortillas!
When I made this recipe I made both red and green chili. Both are similar except for the chiles and peppers use. Rice and beans make great sides for the meal.
This was a successful recreation. I believe I made this exactly like my father’s recipe. He enjoyed it and it was a great bonding experience.
As for the ingredients I used, I was able to go to the Farmer’s Market at the ASU Tempe Campus at the end of January and get some of the fresh produce. It was convenient for any college student. For the other ingredients, I went to a local Pro’s Ranch Market after hearing positive reviews about it being Arizona’s 2012 Retailer of the Year. It was budget friendly and the selection of meats and spices were abundant.
Overall, this dish was satisfying and would be easy for college students to make especially with a wide variety of resources such as farmers markets available. So if you are looking for a hearty, delicious dish to make with local ingredients, this is definitely a winner!
For The Love of Food 