Shanna's Pork Loin Cactus Chili Verde
1/2 cup Unbleached flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper, or more to taste
2 lb Boneless pork loin or shoulder, cut in 1" cubes
3 tbl Olive oil
1 med Yellow onion, diced
3 med Scallions, trimmed and diced
4 lrg Garlic cloves, minced
3 x Poblano peppers, roasted and peeled, cored and diced
3 x Jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
5 med Ripe tomato, diced, substitute: 28-oz canned chopped tomatoes
2 cup Fresh nopaltos, precooked with
1 whl peeled onion*
1/4 cup Chopped fresh cilantro
Method :
*Set a pot of water to boil. Scrap the paddle and clean it of spines. Rinse well
to remove finer spines. Cut into strips 1/4-inch wide. Put in the pot along with
a peeled whole onion and boil until tender, about 15 minutes.
Drain; discard the onion; rinse.
Mix flour, salt and pepper. Dredge meat cubes in the seasoned flour. Heat the
olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute the pork cubes, about one
third at a time, in the oil until they are brown on all sides.
Remove them to a large plate as they brown. When all the pork cubes are cooked,
spoon off all but 3 tablespoons of the pan drippings, if necessary.
Add the onions, scallions, garlic, roasted poblano chiles, and jalapenos, and
saute for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and saute for an additional minute.
Return the pork to the pot, and then pour in enough water to just cover.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer the pork, covered, stirring
occasionally, until tender, about 1 hour. Stir in the nopalitos and cilantro,
and simmer the stew for 15 minutes. The sauce should have a thick gravy
consistency. Add more water, if needed, and cook until heated through. Taste and
adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve Pork and Chile Verde with Nopalitos at
once, with the accompaniments of your choice.
NOTEs: Nopalitos, the young paddles on prickly-pear cactus. Spring dish