Pork Tomatillo Stew

A friend sent me this recipe after I read a Ruth Reichl book. It came from another book she had read by the same author. Ruth Reichl was the New York Times Restaurant Critic and is a great author.  She uses dark beer, but I substituted with beef stock.  I made a few other small changes as well.  I know a stew sounds like a winter dish, but this is kind of citrus-y and is just delicious.  I think it makes a great springtime stew!

Pork Tomatillo Stew
1 lb. tomatillos, papery husk removed, washed, and quartered
2 cups beef stock
1 1/2 cup orange juice
1 large (28 oz.) can diced or whole tomatoes

2 lbs. pork shoulder roast, cut into large cubes
Salt and pepper
oil
20 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 large onions, chopped
1 big bunch cilantro
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 can black beans, drained

In a large saucepan, combine the tomatillos, beef stock, orange juice and tomatoes.  If the tomatoes are whole, break them up with your spoon.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer while you prepare the rest of the stew.

Cut up the pork roast and salt and pepper well.  In a enameled dutch oven, heat the oil and add the garlic cloves.  Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the pork cubes and brown on all sides.  Add the onions, cilantro and jalapenos.  Cook and stir until the onions start to soften.  Add the tomatillo mixture and combine well.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  You can then either simmer it on the stove for a couple of hours or put it in the oven for at least 2 hours at 300.  After that time, take it out of the oven and smash the garlic cloves with the back of your spoon as best you can and stir.  Add the black beans.  Put it back in the oven or on the stove and cook a bit longer.  It's nice if you do this the day ahead.  If so, let it cool, then refrigerate overnight.  Reheat the next day.  It's so much better the next day, but you can serve it right when it's done if you want to.

Serve with lime sour cream.  Add fresh squeezed lime to sour cream and put a large dollop in each bowl.   So yummy!!!!
Adapted from Ruth Reichl in "Tender at the Bone"

Adobo Tomatillo Salsa

If you like Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce, then this is the right salsa for you. I love Chicken Tinga Tostadas (from this blog) and it's because of that unique adobo sauce taste. So when I was looking for good salsa recipes, I was excited to find this one.

Ingredients:

2 tomatillos--husked, washed, and thickly sliced

2 cloves garlic--diced or 1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 chipotle pepper in Adobo sauce (I bought one jar and used what I needed for the recipe, then put the rest in a freezer bag to keep in the freezer. As I need them I just break off how much I need from the frozen ones and keep the rest in the freezer. You don't need much since they're spicy, but it works great.)

1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

Heat a non-stick pan on medium high heat. Place the tomatillos and garlic (if you're using the cloves) in the  pan and cook on one side until browned. Then flip over the slices to brown the other side or until the tomatillos are soft. Add the garlic powder now if you've chosen that route. Put the tomatillos and garlic in a small food processor or blender with the chipotle pepper (feel free to add more than just a half one if you like it spicy). Blend with 2 TBSP water. Let it cool, then add some salt to taste. I added about 1/4 tsp and it was pretty salty, so I'll definitely use 1/8th of a teaspoon next time. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy. 

Serves: 2