Chile Verde

Rich's Chile Verde

4 lbs. pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into bite size pieces
3 tblsp. chile oil or peanut oil
2 onions
3 cloves garlic
4 jalapeno chiles
2 poblano chiles
1 lb. tomatillos
1 tsp. Mexican oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tblsp coriander seeds
chicken stock as needed
salt and pepper to taste
cilantro and lime wedges as needed for garnish

Roast unpeeled garlic and unhusked tomatillos on a hot comal until peel and husk is charred in places. Set aside to cool. Chop all the jalapeno chiles and one of the onions. Saute in 2 tblsp. oil until onion is translucent. Peel garlic, dice and sprinkle with coarse salt. Crush garlic with the tines of a dinner fork until well mashed. Remove husk from tomatillos and cut into quarters. Combine onion, jalapeno, garlic and tomatillos in blender and puree, adding chicken broth as needed to puree. Set aside. Cut pork into bite size (3/4 to 1 inch) pieces. Saute pork in chile oil until lightly browned. Put pork in cooking pot and add chicken broth to cover. Toast coriander seeds in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until browned but not burnt. Cool and crush seeds in a molcajete or mortar until crushed but not powdered. Rub oregano between the palm of the hands until crushed. Mix coriander, oregano, and cumin together, add to pork and cook over medium heat until pork is tender, adding chicken broth as needed to keep pork covered. When pork is tender, add salt, pepper, onion, chile, garlic and tomatillo puree to pot and cook over medium heat until sauce is just short of being thickened as desired. Roast poblano chile over flame until skin is charred. Peel and chop into bite size pieces. Chop second onion into bit size pieces and saute in remaining oil until slightly browned at the edges. Add onions and poblano chile to pork. Heat until sauce is thickend as desired. Serve over cooked white rice or by itself in bowls with chopped cilantro and wedges of lime for garnish.

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