I couldn’t put together a collection of fresh chile recipes without including my favorite–green chile stew. This has been a popular staple in northern New Mexico for hundreds of years, ever since the Spanish introduced domesticated pigs. In the late summer and early fall, when the crops come in and everyone starts roasting and putting up chiles for the coming year, I keep a pot of this stew simmering on the stove to fill and freeze in containers to enjoy during the cold winter months.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds lean pork, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes

• Vegetable oil

• 1 large onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 quart pork or chicken broth

• 6 to 8 green New Mexico chiles, roasted, peeled and cut into thin strips

• 2 small tomatoes, peeled and chopped

• 1 large potato, peeled and diced

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican preferred

• Salt to taste

Instructions

In a heavy skillet, brown the pork over medium to medium-high heat, adding a little oil if needed. When the pork is browned, transfer it to a large stockpot. Add the onions and some more oil to the same skillet and until the onions turn a golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Transfer the mixture to the pot with the pork.

Add 2 cups of broth to the skillet, raise the heat, and deglaze the skillet, being sure to scrape all the bits and pieces from the sides and bottom. Pour the broth over the pork in the stockpot.

Add the remaining ingredients to the stockpot, bring it to just below boiling, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until the meat is very tender and starts to fall apart.

These chile strips are great on sandwiches or when chopped and mixed with salads such as tuna or shrimp. NOTE: this recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

white vinegar, sugar, salt, dill seed, mustard seed

Instructions

This is adapted from The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia (William Morrow, 1999). Here is the beef stew or macaroni and cheese of New Mexico–a basic dish with as many variations as there are cooks. Add a warmed flour tortilla and you have a complete meal.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ ounces chile pasado, reconstituted to make about 1 ½ cups, chopped

• 2 pounds lean pork, cubed

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 large potato, peeled and diced (optional)

• 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

• 3 cups water

Instructions

In a skillet, brown the pork in the oil. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for a couple of minutes.

Combine all the ingredients in a kettle or crockpot and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.