Green chile pork stew

I cooked the recipe below for a Easter weekend dinner tonight for the Heisterman’s and us. And I was proudly reminded of how fun it is too cook!

* 4 pound pork butt, trimmed of fat
* 2 yellow onions, quartered
* cumin
* 2 bay leaves
* dried Mexican oregano
* Kosher salt
* green peppercorns
* cayenne pepper
* Chile Verde, recipe follows
* 4 tbsp butter
* 4 oz. heavy whipping cream
* Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
* flour tortillas (buttered and warmed)

Chile Verde:

* 1 1/2 pound fresh poblanos
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
* minced garlic
* 1 seeded jalapeno pepper chopped
* dried Mexican oregano
* salt
* ground cumin
* 4 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 3 cups chicken stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 bundle chopped fresh cilantro

Directions for pork:

Season pork butt with salt and pepper. Brown pork butt in skillet with olive oil.

Place pork butt, yellow onions, cumin, bay leaves, Mexican oregano, salt, black peppercorns and cayenne in a large saucepan and cover with water by 1-inch. Bring to a boil.

Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes, skimming the surface to remove any fat scum that forms.

Directions for chile verde:

Roast the peppers by placing them on an open gas flame, turning them frequently with tongs until all sides are charred black, about 7 to 10 minutes. (Alternately, the peppers can be roasted under a broiler, or on top of a gas or charcoal grill.) Place the blackened peppers in a plastic or paper bag, and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, and remove the seeds and the stems. Chop the peppers and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapenos, oregano, salt, and cumin, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring, without allowing to color, for 2 minutes. Add the chopped peppers, and stir well to combine. Add the chicken stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Stir in whipping cream and butter. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

The happy marriage:

Cube/shred the drained pork. Use boat motor to puree chile verde. Add pork to the chile verde pot. Use boat motor to puree remaining stock from the pot that was used to cook pork. Add ~1/4 of stock to thin chile verde. Bring to a simmer over medium heat to reduce for 1 hour.

Remove the chile verde from the heat, add the cilantro, and adjust seasoning to taste. Top stew with shredded Monterrey jack cheese. Serve with warm, buttered flour tortillas.