GREEN CHILI
Makes 6 to 8 servings
This green-hot chili packs a wallop, but if you have a wimpy guest like my friend Mrs. Podunk, you can serve plenty of tortillas and some cool guacamole. The chili gets its color from the combination of fresh green peppers - - sweet bell peppers and hot chile peppers.
3 tablespoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic in all
1 tablespoon ground cumin, in all
3/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, in all
1-1/2 pounds ground pork
1/2 cup pork lard or chicken fat (either preferred) or vegetable oil
1-1/2 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
2-1/2 cups chopped onions, in all
2 cups chopped green bell peppers, in all
1-1/4 cups canned diced green chile peppers and their juice, in all
1/4 cup minced fresh jalapeo peppers, in all
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups pork or chicken stock, in all
Combine 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the Meat Magic, 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon of the nutmeg. Sprinkle the pork evenly with this mixture and mix by hand until thoroughly combined.
Melt the lard or chicken fat (or heat the oil) in a heavy 4-quart pot over high heat. Add the meat and, stirring as necessary, cook just until browned. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon, getting as many of the tiny pieces out as possible, and set aside.
In the same oil, fry the tortillas over high heat until browned and very crisp, then drain on paper towels.
Combine the remaining Meat Magic, cumin, nutmeg, and the oregano in a small bowl, then add to the hot oil. Cook the seasonings over high heat, stirring constantly, until they roast, about 10 to 15 seconds. Add 1-1/2 cups of the onions and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the pan
bottom well, for 10 to 15 seconds. Stir in 1 cup of the bell peppers, 1/2 cup of the green chiles, and 2 tablespoons of the jalapeo peppers. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring fairly often - -constantly toward the end of cooking time - - and scraping the pan bottom well each time. Stir in the
garlic and cook and stir a few second. Add the flour, stirring until well blended and scraping the pan bottom clean, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring and scrapihng almost constantly to make sure the mixture doesn't scorch. (Soups containing ground meat and flour stick more than other
types of soup.)
Add 1 cup of the stock, scraping the pan bottom until all the browned bits are dissolved, then add the remaining 4 cups of stock. Stir until well blenede and scrape the pan bottom clean again. Continue cooking over high heat, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, remove 1 cup of the stock from this mixture and place in a food processor. Crumble the fried tortillas, add them to the proessor, and process until the tortillas are finely chopped, about 30 to 45 seconds. Stir the tortilla mixture into the cooking stock mixture. Stir in the
remaining onions and bell peppers, then add the meat, stirring well. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring and scraping fairly ofter (be careful not to let the mixture scorch) for 50 minutes. Stir in the remaining green chiles and jalapeo
peppers, and simmer and stir for 15 minutes. Skim off any oil from the surface and serve immediately.
Copyright 1995 by Paul Prudhomme
