Green Chile Stew

Steve in Scottsdale's Note:

My version, based on eating it at dozens of New Mexico restaurants and input from Tia Sophia in Santa Fe, who has the best I've tasted. [They make theirs with beef, not pork. Try it with either]. Note: use fresh ingredients wherever possible. If you can't get Big Jim or Anaheim chilies in your local grocery, go on line and order frozen roasted green chilies from Hatch, NM. You can order them mild, medium, or hot. They come roasted and peeled, ready to use. Keep 'em in the freezer (they keep forever) and use them for this and green chilie cheeseburgers. I'll post a recipe for green chile sauce for cheeseburgers.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 cups roasted green chilies, skins removed. Use Anaheim or 2 cups big jim chilies
• 32 ounces chicken stock or 32 ounces vegetable stock
• 1 ½-2 lbs ground chuck or 1 ½-2 lbs pork shoulder , Trim excess fat cut into 1 to 1 . 5 inch cubes, you want meat with a good fat content, as no fat mea
• 8 garlic cloves , minced (you won't taste the garlic, it just adds marvelous depth to the flavor, and is also very healthy)
• 1 large yellow onion , coarsely diced (not minced)
• 1 large idaho potato , diced (1/4-inch dice)
• 1 -2 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• flour or masa harina
• kosher salt
• mincedserrano peppers (optional) or jalapeno pepper , for optional garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Put two-three T's of either flour or masa harina in a plastic bag with generous salt and pepper; dredge the meat.
2. Heat oil (I use grape seed oil - it takes a high heat and is healthy) or lard to med high in either a cast iron pan or dutch oven large enough to hold the dish, and brown the meat in batches, removing to a plate when nicely browned.
3. Reduce heat to low and add some oil if needed. Soften the onion - 4-5 minutes. Do not brown it - just color it.
4. Put all ingredients in the dutch oven or a pot. Keep the residue in which you browned the meat and softened the onions - it has become a sort of roux and will nicely thicken the stew.
5. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce to simmer. Cover and simmer one hour, until the meat is very, very tender. Don't over cook. After 15 minutes of simmer, add salt to taste.
6. Serve in bowls with good french bread or cornbread. If you want it hotter, add the minced peppers to taste.