Pork Chile Verde

Usually I wouldn’t dare make a double batch of a recipe I have never tried before and serve it to 9 guests. But I so trust my friend Terri’s judgement in the food department that when she sent me this recipe by both e-mail and text message, I went with it! Padma Lakshmi is a judge on Top Chef, and made this recipe on The Today Show as the perfect thing to serve for the football playoffs. I love that it’s better the next day, since I’m so much more relaxed when the major cooking is done ahead of time. Served with cornbread, green salad and coffee-flavored flan for desert. Leftovers great!

1 pound tomatillos, husks removed and quartered

2 avocados, peeled and pitted

4 jalapenos

1 cup fresh cilantro

4 Tbs. lime juice

Salt

3 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. olive oil, divided

2 Tbs. white wine vinegar

4 cloves garlic

2 Tbs. sesame seeds, divided

2 medium onions, diced

1 Tbs. dried Mexican oregano

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 pounds ground pork

1 shot Anejo tequila

1 pound cooked cannellini beans (Note: if using canned, rinse off canning liquid)

2 cups water or chicken stock

1 lime, juiced (optional)

In a blender or Cuisinart, combine the tomatillos, avocados, jalapenos, two cloves of garlic, cilantro, lime juice, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar. Puree until smooth. (Side note: this makes a great salsa verde sauce on its own; you may want to buy double the ingredients and use the extra as a dipping sauce for other savory treats.)

In a heavy soup pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Slice remaining two cloves of garlic in half, and cook for one minute. Ad the onions, oregano, cumin, remaining sesame seeds and red pepper flakes, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add the ground pork and cook until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add in the shot of tequila.

Add the tomatillo sauce, beans, and water or stock to the pork mixture. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often.Stir in the lime juice just before serving. Serves 4-6.

Note: You might want to chop the onions in the blender or Cuisinart before beginning the make the sauce. Seeding the jalapenos will keep the heat down. I served it with grated cheese, sour cream,salsa and a lime squeeze. And whoops! As I am proof reading the recipe I realize that one pound of cooked cannellini beans means one 15 ounce can, not two! So I doubled the amount of beans, but honestly it seemed fine. Adding chicken broth when reheating it may be necessary to thin it; you can make it soupier if you wish.