My former mother-in-law lived in New Mexico for many years. One of the many culinary gifts of New Mexico cooking is Green Chili Stew. When visiting New Mexico around late summer to early autumn you are blessed with the scent of fresh Hatch green chilies being roasted in grocery store parking lots in large rotating steel cylinders. JoAnn would buy large quantities of chilies then we would take them home and divide between quart-size zip lock bags and freeze them to use for the next 12 months. JoAnn was never out of green chilies. This is the first meal she would make when my husband and I visited since it was a favorite, plus we could have it for lunch the next day as well. In place of pork you can use whatever meat you have available. When we brought friends with us to her adobe casita along the Rio Grande she made it with elk meat and it was a hit with everyone present, even the teenagers who had never eaten elk. I make this in a 7 quart Dutch Oven. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

INGREDIENTS

• 2# pork roast diced into bite sized pieces
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 head garlic, minced
• Olive Oil to brown meat and veggies
• 1 ½ – 2 lbs mild to spicy (you choose) green chilies, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 large can stewed tomatoes, chopped (use all juices too)
• 1 Tbls celery salt (or a few stalks of minced celery)
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 ½ Tbls oregano
• 1 ½ Tbls cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt to taste
• 4-6 cups chicken stock
• 2 Qts water, or as needed

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown pork and remove from Dutch Oven
2. Soften onions, add garlic in for the last 60 seconds
3. Add spices and tomatoes with juices to the onions and garlic
4. Add pork and 1 cup chicken broth
5. Simmer for 1 hour
6. Add chopped green chilies
7. Simmer 1 hour longer
8. Add potatoes, cook until potatoes are tender
9. Add salt to taste
10. Add remaining chicken broth/water as needed along the way

When stew is done you may thicken with masa, cornstarch, flour, Wondra or instant mashed potatoes to desired thickness.

Serve with any combination of shredded cheese, minced onions, sour cream, pico de gallo, warm tortillas, tortilla chips, or corn bread. It’s really up to your taste buds to choose.