Golden State Gazpacho – Cold Soup for a Long Hot Day

It only seems fitting to post this Golden State Gazpacho recipe on the first day of summer, and the longest day of the year, since there is simply no better thing to eat on a hot, sunny afternoon. And since this time of year those hot sunny afternoons last well into the evening, there’s plenty of time to whip up a batch between naps.

Many gazpacho recipes that include fruit turn out tasting more like dessert, which is fine if that’s what you’re into, but if you want something that actually tastes like a super-refreshing, and seriously savory gazpacho, then this peach-kissed version is for you. This is a very simple recipe, and not a lot can go wrong, as long as you serve it ice cold. I can’t stress this enough, but I'll try. 

Some folks actually like to freeze about half the recipe in ice cube trays, and then serve those with the soup, to ensure that it’s literally ice cold. That’s a great trick if you feel so inclined, but at the very least, give your gazpacho a few hours in the fridge, as well as keep your cups in the freezer. Regardless, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 Portions:

2 pints sun gold cherry tomatoes

1 cup red cherry tomatoes

1 rounded cup cubed ripe yellow peaches, peeled (about 2 smaller peaches)

1 cup sliced, peeled English cucumber

1/2 cup roughly chopped orange bell pepper

1/4 cup yellow onion

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

cayenne to taste

2 tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar

1 lime, juiced, or to taste

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup cold fresh water

For the garnish:

crumbled feta

diced fresh peach

thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

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Leftover Turkey Tamale Pie – Sorry, Pumpkin, There’s a New Thanksgiving Pie in Town

Even if your turkey is perfectly cooked, the reheated leftovers can be a little dry and uninteresting, especially since the gravy always runs out before all the meat is gone. 

That’s why soup is such a popular choice for using up the last remnants of your bird, but this tamale pie will serve the same purpose, only in a significantly more exciting, and flavorful way.

There are two basic types of tamale pie. One features a cornbread topping, which is like eating chili with cornbread, and the other a traditional masa dough, which is like eating chili with polenta on it. Here, I wanted to create something that gives us the best of both, and I was very happy with how this came out.

While I’m branding this as a post-Thanksgiving leftover turkey recipe, it’s really a “how to make tamale pie” video, since you can sub in virtually any other meat and/or vegetable, and it should work just as well. In fact, I’m actually thinking of doing a version using cubed butternut squash as a turkey-adjacent side dish. Regardless of what you use, I really do hope you give this easy and delicious tamale pie a try soon. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients for 6 Portions Turkey Tamale Pie:
(I used a 9" X 12" baking dish)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

1 red bell, diced

2 poblano peppers, diced

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 can (7-oz) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

3 to 4 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken

4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 packed cup)

1 jar (15.5-oz) red enchilada sauce

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

For the crust:

1 1/4 cups cornmeal

3/4 cup self-rising flour*

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese for the top

- Bake at 375 F. for about 45 minutes, or until the topping is browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

* If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can use 3/4 cup all-purpose flour sifted with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt.

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Green Chile Pesto and Roasted Chayote Squash Side Dish – Thanks, Rick!

If you’re going to steal one Rick Bayless recipe, you might as well steal two, which is exactly what I did here with this green chile pesto, and roasted chayote squash side dish. Like I said in the video, most great chefs encourage this type of thievery, as long as you give them credit, which I’m happy to do.

What I’m calling “Green Chile Pesto,” is really his Green Chile Adobo, but I thought my audience would better relate to a “pesto,” since that’s what this reminds me of the most. Although, I’m not sure how it would be in a pasta, and don’t have any immediate plans to find out.

What it was great in, was this very simple chayote squash dish, which is really more of a warm salad. If you can find chayote near you, I recommend you give it a try, but if not, grilled zucchini or other summer squash would also work, as would something like roasted acorn or delicata squash.

I’d try to choose a fairly mild olive oil for this, since we have enough heat and bitterness from the peppers. Which reminds me, don’t over blend this. While some chefs claim it’s just a wives tale, I’ve found that if you over-process an olive oil-based sauce, especially ones with garlic in them, it can get very bitter. Other than that, not much can go wrong, and so on behalf of Chef Bayless and myself, I’d like to say, we really do hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for the Green Chile Pesto:

6 Serrano peppers

1 Poblano pepper

6 cloves garlic, still in the paper

1 bunch cilantro

1/2 bunch Italian parsley

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or about 3/4 teaspoon fine salt)

3/4 cup mild tasting olive oil, or vegetable oil

juice from 2 fresh limes*

* You can add the lime right to the pesto if you’re going to use it all at once as a sauce for something, but this seems to keep longer in the fridge without it added in, and so I prefer to add it to whatever I’m using it with instead.

For the Chayote Squash Side Dish:

3 Chayote squash, cut in 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

juice from 1 lime (unless already added to your pesto)

2 or 3 heaping spoons of Green Chile Pesto

1/3 cup crumble soft goat cheese, plus more for the top

pumpkins seeds to garnish, optional

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Homemade Corn Tortillas – Seconds to Learn, Years to Master

Even though they only require a few of ingredients, and the technique to make them only takes a few seconds to learn, homemade corn tortillas do take a fair amount of experience to master, because of all the variables. But, don’t let that stop you from trying, since the results, even as produced by a novice, are vastly superior to ones from the grocery store. They’re also significantly cheaper, but the “vastly superior” part is more than enough reason.

That’s because a bag of Maseca, which is the most commonly found brand of masa flour in U.S. grocery stores, and the one I used, is very inexpensive, and will make hundreds of tortillas. So, the instant corn masa flour isn’t a variable, but pretty much everything else is. From the amount of water, to how much salt, to how hot a pan to use, to how long to cook them; everyone seems to have a little bit different system.

When it comes to the water, you’ll know you have the right amount, if your tortillas press out to a nice round, relatively smooth-edged shape. If the outside edge of the tortilla has cracks once pressed, then you need more water. On the other hand, if the tortilla sticks to your fingers, or breaks apart getting it off the plastic, then it was too wet. Adjust accordingly. And like I said, give yourself a few years to experiment.

As far as the pan, I go with a cast-iron skillet, which I get nice and hot over high heat, and then I’ll back it down to about medium while I cook my tortillas. I also tend to cook mine a little longer in the pan than is traditional, but I enjoy that nice, lightly-toasted corn flavor you get when a little bit of browning occurs. A few extra seconds in the pan is fine, as long as they are stacked, and wrapped in the towel, which is probably the most important step in the entire operation.

In fact, eat one of these right from the pan, and then compare it to one that you’ve let steam together with the rest of the tortillas in the towel. You’ll be truly amazed at the difference. So, if you enjoy store-bought corn tortillas, but always wondered what the real stuff was like, I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 10 Corn Tortillas:

1 cup instant corn masa flour (aka masa harina)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup hot water (about 130 F.)

- adjust with more water or masa flour as needed

Crispy Basket Burritos – For Once, Oven-Baked is Better Than Fried

I worked at a Mexican restaurant while in college, and one of my least favorite tasks was frying the flour tortilla bowls. You had to hold the two parts of the basket that formed them together while they fried, all the while getting splattered by hot fat, and breathing grease vapors. It wasn’t fun, but they did come out nice and crispy, so to everyone else involved, it was totally worth it.

Here, we’re using the oven to achieve what I consider a superior product. They’re just as beautiful, and crispy as the ones from the deep fryer, but seem to be much less greasy. Not to mention, the mess is significantly less. I’ll trade those things for a few extra minutes production time any day.

Just be careful not to burn them trying to get the inside bottom crispy. Since that area is protected from the sides, it’s not going to get as browned, but it doesn’t have to. As soon as this is filled, no one will know the difference. Speaking of filling, deciding that is probably the hardest part of this whole operation, but I’m confident you’ll come up with something worthy. I really hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 Crispy Basket Burrito Shells (aka Tortilla Bowls, or Tostada Shells):

2 flour tortillas (about 8 inches in diameter)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

oven safe ramekin, about 4 inches in diameter

Chicken Tinga – Torn Between Two Lovers

Whenever I’m ordering something with chicken at a taqueria, I’m always presented with the same three choices. The grilled chicken, the green chicken, which is cooked in a tomatillo sauce, and the red chicken, also know as chicken tinga.

I usually forgo the grilled option, since whatever I’m ordering almost always benefits from sauce; which leaves me with the nearly impossible decision of choosing between the red and the green. I love both, so I’m always torn. By the way, in Mexican culinary lingo, tinga means, “torn.”

Anyway, now that the title makes sense, I can finish this post up by reiterating how great this came out. There are faster methods to make this, but taking the extra time to reduce the cooking liquid, as well as possibly the sauce, really pays off in the end.

The real challenge here is deciding how to use it. You can’t go wrong with tacos, but my favorite delivery system is tostados. Fry up a corn or flour tortilla nice and crisp; top with tinga, and garnish with the usual suspects. It doesn’t get any better than that…unless the tortilla is shaped into a bowl, which I’ll show you how to do quickly, and mess-free, in the next video. Until then, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 large portions:

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

3 cloves peeled whole garlic cloves

1 large yellow onion, halved

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

1 can (7-oz) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1 can (28-oz) peeled plum tomatoes (I recommend using San Marzano) or 3 1/2 cups of any fresh or canned tomato product

2 tablespoons olive oil or reserved chicken fat

1 large onion, diced

Cotija cheese and cilantro to garnish

Chorizo Fundido, Completo

If too much sausage in a cheese dip was the biggest problem you have during a workweek, you have to consider that to be a pretty great week. They say, less is more, but I was hoping that twice the amount of chorizo in this fundido would make it twice as good, but that wasn’t really the case.

The taste was great, and as I said in the video, I highly doubt anyone at your party would complain, but what I really wanted was an ooey, gooey, much drippier dip, and so in this case, less would have been more.

Below, I’ve listed the amounts as I think they should be, with what I actually used in parentheses, and I’ll leave it up to you, to adjust as you see fit. Besides the sausage amount, I think adding some sour cream may also help the cause. Are you ready for some football? I am, but even if you’re not going to serve this chorizo fundido to a bunch of screaming lunatics on game day, I still hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions Chorizo Fundido:

8 ounces fresh pork chorizo (I used 1 pound)

1/2 cup sliced green onions, the light parts

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 poblano chilies, diced

2 jalapenos, diced

4 ounces cream cheese (I used 8 oz)

4 ounces sharp cheddar

8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup sour cream (I think it may help give a creamier texture)

Horchata – No Tigers Were Harmed in the Making of this Drink

When it comes to delicious, unique, and refreshing summer drinks, it’s hard to beat horchata. There are countless ways to make this, but my preferred method is easy, relatively quick, and doesn’t require any tigernuts, whatever those are.

Apparently, that’s what the original Spanish version contained, among other things, but we’re doing a Mexican-style horchata, which is done with rice and almonds. The result is something that sort of looks like milk, but is much lighter, and pairs perfectly with all your favorite summer foods. I know, summer’s almost over, but not here in San Francisco, where our hottest weather is just ahead.

Depending on your tastes, you can alter the amount of sugar, as well as the ratio between rice and almonds, but what you can’t alter is the need to strain this before serving. Unless you like gritty drinks, you’ll want to pass this through a very, very five sieve, multiple layers of cheesecloth, or both. I hear a plain white, cotton t-shirt also works nicely, but I’ve never tried.

As you saw, I tested a nut milk bag, which allowed a little too much sediment through for my tastes, but regardless, do not skip this step. It’s especially important if you’re not leaving the mixture to sit overnight, since the particles won’t have as long to soften. Other than that, there’s not much that can go wrong, and I really do hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes about 2 quarts of Horchata:

1 cup long-grain white rice

1/4 cup raw almonds

1 cinnamon stick, or 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup white sugar

7 cups cold fresh water (4 cups to blend rice, 3 cups added after)

ground cinnamon to garnish, optional

Note: Once blended, let sit overnight before straining, if possible. This way the water has plenty of time to leach out the goodness from the rice and almonds. The four-hour method does work, but you don't get quite the same flavor. Along the same lines, many horchata "experts" actually prefer to not blend immediately, but rather let the mixture sit overnight to soften, before blending the next day. If you like how this comes out, feel free to experiment, and test for yourself.

Refried Beans – Cooked Well, Not Twice

Contrary to popular belief, refried beans are not called refried beans because they’re refried.  As it turns out the name actually translates to well fried, as in so well fried, beans are reduced to a molten mash.  And what a delicious mash it is.

I don’t think I would ever sit down to eat just a bowl of refried beans, but they make everything they’re served with, on, or in, infinitely better.  Just as long as you use lard.  In my opinion, using rendered pork fat for these produces the ultimate refried beans.

Many folks insist on using bacon, and it’s always hard to argue against using bacon, but for me that smoky flavor, as delicious as it is, just overwhelms the rest of the ingredients.  Besides that enthusiastic recommendation, be sure to taste for seasoning at the end.

Since we don’t cook the beans with salt, it’s going to take some fairly generous seasoning later. In fact, any reviews less than five-stars will be the result of people under salting, and then unfairly blaming me. So, whether these are going on your Super Bowl nachos, or just in your regular recipe rotation, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions refried beans:

For the beans:

1 pound dry pinto beans, soaked overnight

4 whole garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon dry epazote, or teaspoon of dried oregano

9 cups cold water

- Simmer one and a half to two hours or until beans are very soft

For the refried beans:

1/2 cup lard

1 1/2 cups diced onions

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

2 tablespoons minced Serrano pepper

1 teaspoon ground chipotle

the cooked beans

reserved bean liquid, as needed (I usually use all of it)

Mexican-Style Shrimp Cocktail – The New Taco?

One of the many advantages of living in San Francisco is my proximity to some pretty amazing Mexican food. That used to be a much bigger deal, but happily, you can now get tacos and burritos in just about every corner of the country these days.

However, one item that hasn’t swept the nation like the others, is the Mexican-style shrimp cocktail. Which is a shame, since it’s every bit as good, if not better, than the more common version. Who knows? Maybe if this video goes viral, one day “Taco Tuesday,” will be joined by “Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Monday.”

Please just use the ingredients and amounts below as a rough guide, and adapt as you see fit. The spiciness, tanginess, and salt level are all very subjective things, and you’ll almost certainly need to adjust. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1 cup clam juice

1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup diced English cucumber

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

2 tablespoons jalapeno peppers, seeded, finely diced

1 1/4 cup diced, peeled, seeded ripe tomatoes, or quartered small cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup ketchup

2 freshly squeezed limes or to taste

freshly chopped cilantro to taste

Mexican hot sauce to taste

1 large Hass avocado, cubed

Classic Guacamole – How to Make Guacamole Like a Guacamaster

It’s National Guacamole Day, or at least for a few more hours it is. Having said that, there is no bad day to make guacamole. There are few things as easy, healthy, and delicious as this ubiquitous dip. However, unless you’re grinding your aromatic vegetation in a molcajete, or against a cutting board as seen here, you’re really not tasting a classic guacamole. 

The flavors not only become more intense, but actually change in character. This is just what those bland, fatty, but delectable avocados need. That and a thoughtful seasoning of lime juice, and maybe some more salt.

I know we’ve already posted a guacamole video, but that was like 8 years ago, and probably before I knew how to make it properly. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 portions:

1/4 to 1/3 cup finely diced white onion

2 tablespoons minced serrano pepper (or more jalapeño)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided in half (half to grind, half to add later)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt for grinding vegetables, plus more to taste

6 small or 4 large Hass avocados

1 cup diced ripe tomatoes, drained, optional

juice of one lime, or to taste

Yucatan-Style Grilled Pork – Surrounded on Three Sides by Flavor

If the early feedback from the YouTube channel is any indication, this may not actually be “Yucatan-style,” and I couldn’t be less surprised.  I did no real research into the traditional foods of the Yucatan peninsula, and based the name of this dish solely on a pork chop I once enjoyed at a sports bar.

They called it “Yucatan-style,” and it featured vibrant citrus/chile flavors, as well as a beautiful orange hue, which I figured out was from ground annatto. This is the signature ingredient in the famous braised pork dish, cochonita pibil, and can be found at any Latin market, or your larger, fancier grocery stores.

As I mention in the video, I think this easy marinade would work on all kinds of pork cuts, but the tenderloin is very user-friendly, and it’s mild flavor really takes to these ingredients. I think 4 to 6 hours is plenty of time to marinade the meat, but I’m guessing that overnight would probably be fine as well.

Once grilled, you have so many options for enjoying these. Sandwiches, salads, and tacos are all wonderful choices, and I’ve also heard from a reliable source that diced, they make for an epic pan of nachos. This weekend is the official start of summer grilling season, and what better way to kick it off than this tasty, possibly Yucatanian treat? I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 to 6 portions:

2 whole pork tenderloin, trimmed

2 oranges

2 or 3 lemons

2 or 3 limes

6 cloves minced garlic

1 rounded teaspoon annatto powder, plus more to sprinkle on before grilling

1 teaspoon chipotle powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil before grilling

- I garnished with cilantro, and pickled onions. To make your own, thinly slice some red onions, and cover them with red or white wine vinegar. Leave to soak for 4 hours or overnight, and that's it! 

Puffy Tacos – Part Three of the Taco Trilogy

When it comes to things like fast food, fair food, and street food, I’ve never been a big fan of recreating it at home. The only place you’re supposed to eat deep-fried butter is at the Iowa State Fair, and nowhere else. 

However, I will make an exception if I can’t find that certain something nearby, and this puffy taco is that something. I just don’t get to San Antonio, home of the puffy taco, as much as I’d like. 

I’ve actually only been there once, and as far as I know there are no puffy taco stands in San Francisco, so I decided to try them at home. This fast and simple to make taco shell is an addictive hybrid between your soft corn tortilla, and the crunchy, hard shell variety, preferred by America’s youth.

As long as you can find masa harina, which you can, the recipe and procedure are pretty simple. For the best results, make the dough, and use it right way. I’ve tried to make it ahead of time, but the tortillas didn’t seem to puff up nearly as much.

The same goes for serving. Get your meats and fixings ready ahead of time, so all you have to do is fry-and-fill. These only take a minute to cook, and you can use a larger pan to do two or three at once. I really hope you give this fun, puffy taco shell recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 small puffy taco shells:

1 cup masa harina
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

canola oil for frying

- Deep-fry at 350 F for about 90 seconds, or shallow-fry in a small pan until the tortilla is puffed and cooked through.

Super Deluxe Steak Nachos – Regular Nachos for the Big Game? I Don’t Think So.

I’m still trying to figure out how this video for super deluxe steak nachos ended up being over nine minutes long. I’ll blame the fact that I showed you how to do the steak and faux refried beans, but still, I always feel a little uneasy whenever we go past seven or eight minutes. Also, I don’t get overtime.

Be that as it may, this is one of my all time favorite party foods, and I’ve wanted to show you my version for a long time. As you may have heard, the Super Bowl is just a few weeks away, and this should get serious consideration when formulating your snack line-up.

Feel free to cook your meat medium-rare, or less, but as I mention in the video, I think medium works best if you’re using the recommended skirt steak, or flap meat. These cuts have a beautiful, beefy flavor, which, in my experience, is only maximized if cooked to a certain point.

Even though the meat is reheated when we melt the cheese, I still think medium is the way to go, and not just flavor-wise. I think the texture is better as well. These cuts are a little on the chewy side, which is accentuated if cooked rare. Having said that, whether you used raw, or completely well-done beef, you’re still going to be thrilled with the results. I still hope you give these super deluxe steak nachos a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 3 of the same sized platters as I used:

For the steak:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds skirt steak or flap steak (aka flap meat) seasoned on both sides with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chipotle to taste

- cook to a medium (about 135 to 140 F. internal temp)

For the beans:

2 tablespoons bacon fat or lard

1 yellow onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 (15-oz) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups water or chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

You also need:

corn chips

12 ounces sharp cheddar

12 ounces Monterrey Jack
diced avocado (tossed in lemon juice and salt) 
diced white onion 
diced tomato 
finely diced jalapeño pepper 
sour cream 
freshly chopped cilantro 
* serve with hot sauce on the side, and lots of beer

Crispy Turkey Flautas – A Great Reason for Buying a Too Big Bird

Most normal people cook a bigger turkey than they need, so they can enjoy some leftovers. There’s nothing better than a fresh turkey sandwich, or three, but after a couple days, that bony carcass is that last thing you want to look at; and that’s where these crispy flautas come in.

As I joked about in the video, when it comes to leftovers, the “add cheese and fry” system is a proven crowd pleaser, but to hedge our bets, we’re also topping with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. This creates something so different from the holiday meal that you might forget where the turkey actually came from. Depends on how much you’ve been drinking.

Regarding my comment about pre-grated cheese being coated with saw dust – many people on YouTube thought I was joking, but this really is true. That shredded stuff in the bag is coated in a fine cellulose dust, which prevents the pieces of cheese from clumping together. The good news is, grating cheese only takes a minute, and almost anyone can do it.

And if you don’t have old turkey to make these flautas with, eventually you will have some leftover chicken, which would obviously also work. Either way, I hope you give these delicious, crispy flautas a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 large turkey flautas:

24 small, white corn tortillas
1 egg white to seal flautas, optional

*1 pound cooked, shredded turkey

6 ounces shredded pepper Jack cheese, sharp cheddar, or a combo of the two (about 2 cups)

1/3 cup chopped green onions

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

*I’ll assume you’re going to use one of our turkey recipes, so your bird will be super moist, but if it isn’t, you can always add a 1/4 cup of chicken broth to the mixture to compensate.

- Garnish with shaved cabbage, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and freshly chopped cilantro

Pork Chili Verde (Green Pork Chili) – Green and Sometimes Browned

As I mentioned in the intro, this chili verde was one of the first recipes I ever learned, and also one of the first times I was forced to question proper culinary technique. Having just learned the importance of browning meats in culinary school, I was, at the same time, working for a chef who rarely did. 

Whether it was pork, chicken, or beef, he simply cut up the meat, threw it in a pot with the rest of the ingredients, and simmered everything until tender. By the way, he claimed that he had learned how to cook these recipes while traveling through Mexico. I remember sheepishly asking about this, and his response was something like, “Well, that's how they did it, and it tastes good to me.” He was right, it did. 

In fact, it tasted great. It was then I realized that this whole cooking thing might be a little more complicated than I had imagined. So, which is really the best method? There’s no answer for that question, which is frustrating. Having said that, I do think browned meat is always going to add extra flavor, so I usually do it. The point is, everybody’s right.

Regarding the pickled red onions I used on top of my chili: I was going to save this for a video, but it’s so ultra simple that I’ll just tell you right now. Slice some red onions, add a pinch of salt, and cover with red wine vinegar. Leave this overnight in your fridge, and the next day you’ll be looking at one of the most gorgeous garnishes ever.

They’re wonderful with everything from salads, to charcuterie, to cheeseburgers; but my real hope is that you enjoy them on a bowl of this delicious green pork chili. I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

2 tbsp vegetable oil (heat to almost smoking before browning meat)

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (aka pork butt), cut into 2-inch cubes

1 yellow onion, diced

2 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 to 3 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

about 10-12 tomatillos (about 4 cups once quartered)

3 jalapenos, seeded

1 poblano chili, seeded

6 cloves peeled garlic

1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves

2 1/2 cups chicken stock, or as needed

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
freshly ground black pepper

sour cream and pickled red onions to garnish

- Simmer pork and sauce for an hour, add potatoes, and simmer until everything is tender.