Nothing says autumn in New Mexico like the wafting smells of roasting green chilés. So, taking those freshly roasted and peeled chilés and making the traditional New Mexican Green Chilé Stew punctuates autumn in New Mexico!
Green Chilé Stew is a warming and delicious tradition here. It is often used as a sauce to other New Mexican foods. Often it is added to eggs, enchiladas and other dishes. The famous 'red or green' question that every server asks you in a restaurant is embedded with the understanding that you know what they are asking!
"Do you want red or green with that?" I.e. Do you want us to cover your food in red chile or green chile sauce/stew?
You might answer "Christmas." I.e. half and half!
It is quite okay to ask which of them (red or green) is hotter. The server can usually tell you this. Remember, chilés come red or green and mild, medium or hot here!
After I first moved to New Mexico I volunteered as a docent at a local museum. During one of my tours I was hosting two older ladies and their grand daughters. It seems the grand mothers were sisters who were taken care of by their grand parents during WWII in the little town where the museum is located. The two sisters, as often happen, had married and then lived their lives in different areas of the country. One grand mother had her family in Southern California and one had her family in Northern Wisconsin. Yet, they wanted to visit their childhood homes and each brought a teenage grand daughter with them.
It was a nice tour. I enjoyed the grand mother's war memories as well as the questions the teenage grand daughters asked. So, nice have two generations having the benefit of each other with respect and love.
At the end of the tour I asked (again) if they had any questions.
"Yes," said the grand daughter from Northern Wisconsin, "I want to know what a conquistador is and what do they mean when they keep asking me 'red or green' at the restaurants?"
So, I told her! (See the link to El Morro and Coronado for more on conquistadors!)
Moreover, for those of you who watch the Albuquerque filmed TV show Breaking Bad the characters are often seen munching down on those great tacos at Taco Sals. Taco Sals is known for their hot green sauce. "Taco Sal's ain't fancy but it sure is good" and authentic!
So, here is a great tasting version of Green Chilé Stew.
Green Chilé Stew Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. pork sirloin roast
1/2 C. flour
1/4 t. black pepper
1/2 t. coarse ground or kosher salt
2-4 T. canola oil
1/2 chopped onion
2 minced cloves of garlic
1 1/2 t. cumin
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz. size)
12 cherry/small tomatoes or two large tomatoes chopped
1 C. chopped carrots
2 C. boiling water
1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
1 C. green chilés, roasted, peeled and chopped up (mild were used here)
1 can mushrooms (8 oz. size) fresh would be okay to, I just had canned on-hand
1 large potato chopped into chunks, washed with skin left on
Recipe Preparation
Cut the pork into 1" by 1" pieces
Place the flour, salt, and black pepper in a plastic bag and toss the meat in the bag until coated with the flour
Place half of the canola oil in a Dutch oven and heat up the oil
Add one-half of the pork and cook on all sides until brown
Don’t crowd the meat or you won’t get a good browning
Then push the cooked pork pieces to the side, add the rest of the oil
Add the rest of the pork and cook on all sides until brown
Add the onions, garlic, cumin, tomato sauce, tomatoes, carrots, boiling water, and Worcestershire sauce.
Stir until mixed
Stir in the green chilés
Bring to a nice boil and reduce the heat to simmering.
Simmer this for one hour, stirring frequently
Then add the mushrooms and potato.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmering
Simmer for one more hour, stirring frequently
Serve this with a warm tortillas.
It is best cooled, refrigerated, and served the next day!
Heat up the Green Chile Stew the next day and serve it with warm tortillas.
Left over Green Chile Stew is exceptional topping for a cheese enchilada.
Source: Ixtapa Information
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