Pork Green Chili

It still feels like summer here in L.A. (we had one of the nicest beach days of the year on Saturday) with the exception of football season starting. My fiance is obsessed with the sport and I'm starting to realize that every Sunday for the next five months is going to be dedicated to watching the Vikings. It's a good excuse to leave a pot of chili on the stove, and this recipe takes advantage of the fresh peppers that just came in season. The pork gets slow cooked until it melts in your mouth and the fresh tomatillos and chiles add a nice depth of flavor and spice. I served it with some crispy tortilla strips and grated Monterey Jack cheese, but you can personalize it with whatever toppings you like best.


Pork Green Chili:

• Remove the husks from 1/2 lb. fresh tomatillos, rinse to remove any stickiness, cut in half and place cut-side down on a baking sheet.
• Place the tomatillos under a broiler for 10 minutes, or until soft and black in some areas.
• Puree the tomatillos in the blender with a splash of water and set aside.*
• Meanwhile, cook 2 pieces of bacon in the a large dutch oven until crisp and remove, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.
• Cube 1 1/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder** into bite-size pieces and lightly coat with flour.
• Add the pork cubes to the bacon fat, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until nicely browned.
• Remove pork and add in 2 diced onions, 1/2 tbsp. ground cumin, and 3 cloves minced garlic.***
• Cook onions for 7 minutes, or until soft, then add 1/2 c. chicken stock to the pot and scrape up and brown bits from the pan.
• Add in 2 seeded and diced hatch chiles,**** 2 seeded and diced jalapenos, 1 seeded and diced poblano pepper, and 1 seeded and diced serrano pepper.
• Add in the tomatillo puree, 1 large handful of minced fresh cilantro, the pork and bacon, and 2 c. chicken stock.
• Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover with a lid.
• Cook for 2 hours, then add in 1 tbsp. flour to the sauce and cook for another 30 minutes.
• Ladle into bowls and serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, tortillas or rice, shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, etc.

Serves five

*Can be done one day ahead and kept in the fridge.

**Remove any large pieces of fat. Also called boston butt.

***You might need to add a little canola oil if you don't have much fat left in the pan.

****If you can't find hatch chiles you can used frozen, canned, or dried or omit and add 1 more poblano, jalapeno, and serrano.