The Art of Simple Food really is that – an art.  I am constantly delighted and surprised when simple foods, prepared simply become much more than a sum of their parts.

After I made that lasagna, I had a sweet tooth and a basket full of strawberries, so I decided to skim through Alice Water’s book again (since it was out) and see what looked good.  I knew I wanted something easy – no baking or making, just really one step more than eating them plain.  I also wanted more than just letting them macerate in their own juices or tossing them in some balsamic – both great preperations, don’t get me wrong, but they weren’t wowing me that night.

Alice, not surprisingly, had the answer.

Marinate sliced strawberries in fresh orange juice.

Thank goodness the woman has been winning awards for years.  So simple and and obvious combination once you read it, but I can’t say I would have ever done it on my own.

I had two blood oranges in the fruit bowl that needed to be used, so I used the juice from those and sliced up some strawberries.  The recipe suggests adding a bit of sugar too, but I didn’t think it was necessary.  After letting it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, I poured the strawberries and juice over a bit of ricotta that I still had on hand and it was a d.i.v.i.n.e. combination.

It would also be great with greek yogurt, vanilla ice cream, or just plain and served cold. In fact, plain and cold is what the book recommends.

I think now, regardless of the preparation, any time I make things with strawberries, I may have to add a bit of orange.

Right now I am heading to California for a few days for work (and then play) and I decided to actually do something I think about doing whenever I travel.

I made B dinner for a few of the nights I will be gone. This is something I have wanted to do before, but as we all know, there is usually more on your list before a trip than can get done, and this one usually ends up getting cut.

Backing up, it not like B can’t feed himself and so I must provide dinner, I just always thought it would be a nice fun little gesture. Plus, to be honest, this way I know that at least a few meals weren’t delivered or poured from a cereal box.

I decided on lasagna, figuring it is something he can easily heat up and tastes good after more than one day. And thankfully (and unlike me), B doesn’t bore of the same flavors after a day or two, although I’m really hoping he doesn’t finish the pan.  Maybe I should have rethought this idea.

Here’s is the thing though – I have never actually made lasagna to my recollection. Also, many of the ones I have eaten, I don’t really love. Some versions have too much ricotta, and those are out for sure. But I always think the traditional béchamel route needs a bit more umph. Plus, one teeny square of most lasagnas can really weigh you down. But I was not going to let these things stop me.

There were two things I knew I wanted in this adaptation – spinach and turkey. I wanted the spinach because I like it, but also (or maybe especially because) I figured this could be the only greens the dude eats for a week. And turkey, because I knew he would want meat, but considering the cheesesteaks and pepperoni and sausage pizza in his future, turkey would be the smart(er) way to go.

From there, I read a bunch of lasagna recipes. Alice Water’s Spinach Lasagna in The Art of Simple Food. Mario Batali’s lasagna in Molto Italiano. All the spinach lasagnas on epicurious. Elise’s lasagnas on Simply Recipes. Heidi Swanson’s Thousand Layer Lasagna (even though it wouldn’t quite work this time, I couldn’t help but reread it – I have been thinking of that one since she posted it years ago). You get the point.

So here is the thing.  After all that, I don’t have a recipe for you. I did too many weird things to make it come together. After wilting the spinach and adding it to the ricotta, I decided I wanted more spinach, so I defrosted some frozen spinach and added it to the mix. And the turkey never really broke down like a good bolognese, so I gave it a (very) quick run in the blender. And I didn’t want a thick ricotta layer, but I wanted more than béchamel, so I added some milk to the ricotta to thin it out and act like a combo layer.

And, I’m not tasting it first.

So while I could guess that it is going to be delicious, and refigure the amounts to make sure it calls for the right amount of fresh (or frozen, but probably not combo) spinach, I’m not going to.

I figured instead I’d maybe inspire you to play nicey for someone.

Note:  I realize this was made in the wrong kind of pan, but after I made all the parts, I realized that all pyrex is a friends from a dinner we did … oops.  So here’s hoping it doesn’t cause too much of a problem.

Just snapped this pic of colored vases in action. The ranunculus of course aren’t bad, but the it’s the vivid bud vases that really help brighten up this nightstand, particularly on on a rainy day.

Excited to wake up next to this tomorrow.

Note: can’t quite tell you where the vases came from, as this situation came with pre-stocked cabinets.

Something either terribly amazing or just plain terrible happened this week.

I discovered Dos Toros Taqueria and how ridiculously close it is to my house.  I’m thrilled because they have great (CA style) tacos and burritos with highly quality ingredients – primarily local and/or organic – and great prices.  I’m not so thrilled because having damn good tacos and quesadillas near by can be a bit dangerous.

So on my 18th trip in as many hours, I decided to pick up enough to share and bring it home for dinner.  As an impulse buy when I was paying, I asked them to throw in some chips and salsa.

But when I got home, I realized it wasn’t salsa, but pico de gallo (fresh tomato salsa). And as far as I am concerned, that doesn’t work as a dip for chips.  I love pico de gallo on plenty of things, don’t get me wrong, but I want something smoother and spicier when I think salsa.

It turns out we didn’t have any jarred in the fridge (that stuff goes quickly around here), but thankfully, salsa is a breeze to whip up.

I threw some canned tomatoes, canned chiles, onion, garlic, jalapeño and lots of cilantro in the food processor, added some lime juice and was good to go.

In about 2 minutes, I had some legit salsa to match the carnitas tacos.  And the batch is big enough to hold over to my next trip … let’s hope I can start spreading them out.

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Salsa at Home {and not Pico de Gallo}

NOTE: As for the tomatoes, just about anything goes here – diced, crushed, whole, etc.  I generally use diced here to save a pulse or two on the the food processor, but you it really doesn’t matter.  Fire roasted also work great here, if you have those.

Regarding the “oretga” chiles, as we affectionally call them, you may notice that the recipe says diced and the pics above show roughly chopped chiles.  Diced are what I usually have on hand in the pantry, but apparently I grabbed a can of the whole version on the last grocery stock up.  Just like the tomatoes, it really doesn’t matter.

Add tomatoes, chiles, onion, garlic, jalapeño and cilantro to the bowl of a food processor (or blender) and pulse until chopped and combined.  If you like it chunkier, just pulse just a few times; for a thinner salsa, let it go a bit more.  Add lime juice and whirl once more.  Season to taste with salt an pepper.

If you feel it needs a bit more richness, add a splash of olive oil.  Some folks like a bit of vinegar too, but I prefer to add more lime instead.

If you like you salsa particularly chunky or do not have a blender or food processor, you can do this all by hand.  Just make sure the onion, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro are finely chopped first.  Add the tomatoes to a bowl and using your hands, a fork or a small knife, break up the tomatoes to desired size.  Add the rest of the ingredients and season to taste.

Will last a few (plus) days in the refrigerator.

Filed under: Recipe, Sauce, Snacks Tagged: Cilantro, Mexican, Onion, Tomato ]]> http://caitlindentino.com/2010/03/11/salsa-at-home-and-not-pico-de-gallo/feed/ 2 caitlindentino seriously good salsa making-salsa adding lime juice to salsa salsa at home http://caitlindentino.com/2010/03/10/lentil-and-spiced-squash-salad/ http://caitlindentino.com/2010/03/10/lentil-and-spiced-squash-salad/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:24:35 +0000 caitlindentino http://caitlindentino.com/?p=1839 ]]>

Do you ever go out to a restaurant, order something that looks good, like it so much you want to make it at home and realize you already have everything you need?  It’s as if your body must have really needed those nutrients to have been attracted to them in both places.  Oh, that doesn’t happen to you?

Me neither.

Or not exactly.

A while back I ordered a lentil and kabocha salad and liked it so much that I wanted to make it again.  The squash was spiced and roasted and I loved the lentils in a salad – they were almost al dente, so they created a nice contrast to the soft squash and even their normal soft(er) presentation.

But what had me really coming back for more was the ricotta salata.

In the summers I love to make a zucchini and summer squash spaghetti with lots of lemon, mint and basil and top it with a mound of ricotta salata, but I don’t use it too much in the winter.  I think that may have been what sealed the deal for me on this dish, as (at least in my head) it made the whole salad a perfect representation of the departing winter and upcoming warmth.

Back at home, I did have lentils and a squash on hand, so it was basically meant to be, and we can just ignore the fact that I always have lentils and squash is pretty common around here during the fall and winter.  I even had the mint – which is not a given in months with an “r.”

The only thing I needed to run out for was the ricotta salata.

So this counts for my threory, right?

To pull it all together, I found a recipe on epicurious.com for a spiced pumpkin, lentil and goat cheese salad and figured that would be the perfect starting point.

Just change out the pumpkin for the acorn squash I had (and any winter squash would work here) and the goat cheese for the ricotta salata (of course!) and were were just about there.  I used spinach because it was what was in the fridge, but think arugula would be better – it was in both the restaurant and Bon Appétit version.

We had this as a late weekend lunch but I think it would be perfect any time.

Have you had serendipitous home/restaurant meals? And more importantly, what do you like for these ‘tween seasons?

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NOTE:  When I made this, my brain may have been ½ off, as I forgot to put the spice mixture on the squash until it was already in the oven, and I left out the pumpkin seeds from the restaurant version completely, although I did have some in my pantry… I can only imagine it would be that much better when made with a full brain.

Regarding the squash, you can use sugar pumpkin, butternut squash, kabocha, acorn – what ever you like. And I realize that they have varying weights, but it really doesn’t matter here – it is a loosely composed salad.  Just use however much of whatever you like.  How’s that for instrustions.  Also, you may notice that the salad calls for 1″ pieces and I roasted the squash in half-moons and then cut it into cubes later – again, you can credit that to the half-brain.  I have no answers.

Place lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain.

Cook lentils in boiling salted water with peeled whole garlic clove until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place squash in large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange spiced squash in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn squash over and roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.  (You can let it cool a bit, or serve warm – note if you do, it will wilt the greens).

Combine lentils, squash, and oil from baking sheet with mint, vinegar, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon oil. Once thoroughly dressed, gently toss with arugula and season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle with ricotta salata – and feel free to add more if you are anything like me.

** Sometimes labeled Pimentón Picante or Pimentó de La Vera Picante; available at specialty foods stores and at tienda.com or kalustyans.com.

When I made the spice-crusted lamb, I mentioned the grape-almond port sauce from the Sunday Suppers winter dinner.  I love being surprised by things, and the grapes in the sauce definitely did that for me. And I left that dinner wanting to make it again.

Only the next time I made lamb, I couldn’t give up my mint.  So I switched the sauce to a side and was equally happy with the result.

We didn’t have port on hand, and I am not sure if I would have used it in the rice regardless, but wine we do have and I figured it would amp up the rice … it works great it risottos.  I subbed half the water (or stock) that I normally use  in rice for red wine, giving the grain a vivid color and bright taste.

It is easy to forget how such a simple substitution can really change the dynamic of a whole dish.

We finished the cooked rice with some toasted slivered almonds and halved red grapes.  The nutty crunch from the almonds and the pop of the grapes made the rice, well, fun.

And who doesn’t want a fun side?

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Rice with Red Wine, Grapes & Almonds

NOTE: this recipe uses a standard 1 rice: 2 liquid ratio.  If the rice you use calls for a different ratio, change the liquid as necessary.

In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat and add onion.  Cook until onion has softened slightly but not browned, about 2 minutes.  Add the rice and continue to cook, toasting the grains for about another 2 minutes.  The rice will turn slightly opaque.

Add the wine and water and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover.  Cook until liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes.  Remove from heat and keep covered, let stand for 5 minutes.

Fluff rice with fork and mix in toasted almonds and grape halves.  Season to taste with additional salt if necessary.

Farmer’s markets, restaurants, magazines, the weather, walking around, other blogs, friends, parties – while this could be a list of my favorite things, in fact it is a (wholly incomprehensive) list of where I get ideas for this site. But when chatting with B the other day, I let it be known that he could make requests.  Many things on here are spur of the moment, what’s in the fridge kind of posts, but occasionally there are go-to-the-store-with-an-idea in mind type of thing too.  And I let him know that I am always open to suggestions for those.

And in about 2.5 seconds he answered lamb.

I think he loves it because:

1. lamb an and of itself is pretty amazing
2. we don’t have it at home that often, so it really feels like a treat
3. (and I love that he knows and appreciates this) lamb is really simple to prepare, but seems extra fancy, so it’s a great thing to have in your repertoire to wow guests with ease

But the thing is, since I don’t make it very often, I rarely change it up.  I generally do rack of lamb persillade (fancy-schamcy, eh?) – or really just a bread crumb-parsley-garlic coating, to which I may or may not often through in some mint and/or rosemary.

But the spice-rubbed lamb chops that we made at Sunday Suppers: Winter Dinner have really stayed in my mind.  That and the grape-almond port sauce that the Jewels of NY made … I was crazy for the addition grapes to the sauce.

And while I could’ve let well enough alone and made that dinner again exactly, why would I do such a silly thing like that?  I much prefer to tinker around and change things up. Plus, I can’t shake the fact that I have to have mint with lamb.  I think we can blame that on growing up with lamb and mint jelly, where I would really load on the mint jelly.

Thankfully, we came up with a combination that worked – mint and spice and other things nice.

There was a recipe on epicurious for a spice-coated rack of lamb with coffee, cocoa & cumin and I added in cinnamon and orange zest from the S.S. version to make a fairly heavy spice crust.  Just because I am leaving the bread crumbs behind, doesn’t mean I don’t want the coating be substantial.

And while I loved the grape-almond sauce, I didn’t want to mask any of the flavors in the spice mixture – so I moved those ingredients over to a red wine rice (more on that later) and made a super simple salady-topping-thing for the lamb of just oranges and mint.  For once I did not go overboard here, adding this and that, just used a few navel and blood oranges to bring out the zest on the lamb and a bit of my beloved mint.

And now I have a new “go-to” lamb recipe … which may mean it starts showing up around here more often.

Oh – and B is not the only one who can make requests. Anything you want to know? Want me to tinker with? Want me to try? Just let me know – email me or leave a note in the comments.  Curious little bird over here always likes to know what you are thinking too.

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NOTE: Ask your butcher to “french” or clean the rib bones of the lamb and remove any excess surface fat.  Most standard racks are about 8 chops, but you can have the butcher chop them down for you, if you prefer.  As there were only two of us and lamb can be a bit expensive, I had my butcher cut this rack down to 6 bones, or about 1 lb.  Depending on the size of the rack, you may or may not need to do this, but don’t forget that it is an option.

For the coffee, I wrote “mild-roast” per the Bon Appetit recipe, but I used the dark roast espresso grind that I had on hand and it worked fine.

Pre-heat oven to 400°F.

In a small bowl, combine coffee, cocoa, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper.  Once combined, mix in orange zest.

Rub the spice mixture on all sides of the lamb, pressing to coat.

In heavy, oven-safe sauté pan over high heat, heat olive oil until hot but not smoking. Sear rack, meat side down, until deep golden brown and crust forms, about 2 minutes. Flip to sear underside in same manner, about 2 minutes, then sear bottom of rack in same manner, 2 minutes more.

Flip rack back to meat side up, then transfer pan to oven and roast lamb until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 125°F (do not touch bone) for medium-rare, about 15 minutes. Transfer lamb to rack with pan or plate underneath to catch juices and let rest 10 to 15 minutes (while resting, meat will continue to cook a bit, and come to about 130ºF).

While the lamb is roasting, in small bowl add orange segments, mint, salt and pepper.  Drizzle with a touch of olive oil (less than a tablespoon), gently stir together to combine.

When the lamb is rested cut chops and top with oranges and mint.

I hope you don’t mind, but I am in a bit of a tea frenzy. With Alice and Wonderland opening this week, helping my mom and aunt with an afternoon tea for my grandmother’s birthday, and dreams of spring garden parties, well, let’s just say it’s tea time around here. And so while I am tweaking recipes for some updated tea sandwiches in with the old favorites, and mastering a mean linzer cookie, I figured I better get all the accessories together that we will need.

We need lots of plates for the crustless nibbles and scones – I like to mix and match … grandma’s china with some flea market finds is the way to go here, plus a bit of my own china too.  For a spring tea, breakout the florals and butterflies if you have it.  We also need plenty of tea cups, for the tea itself and they also work as great vessels for small floral arrangements throughout the party.

Same goes for tea pots – the more the merrier!  It’s not a tea party without several varieties to choose from – for daily cups my favorite is green tea kombucha, but for tea parties, pots of your favorite loose-leaf is the way to go.  In addition to china and porcelain tea pots, this is the perfect time to bring out my grandmother’s vintage tea service. Extra teapots can also be used to hold larger floral arrangements.

But since we cannot subsist on tea and sandwiches alone, we better add in some cake plates and tiered servers – we need to showcase the macaroons, petit fours, and other confections we whip up.  And we need make sure we have plenty of condiment dishes for jam, clotted cream and all the traditional accompaniments.

And because it is a party, we may need a few other beverages on hand.  I am thinking a raspberry lemonade in glass dispenser, and a silver jigger to spice up the spiking!

If your cabinets or grandmother’s pantry isn’t quite as ready for a tea party, flea markets or your local thrift stores are an excellence place to find these items on the cheap.

For resources:

1. Bone China Ivy Silver Collection at Target

2. Vintage Bowl in Blue and White at ABC Home

3. William Yeoward, Avington Clear Magenta

4. Duchess English Bone China Violets Tea Cup and Saucer from sawonderland on Etsy (& looks a bit like a set of my Nana’s!)

5. Mariage Frères Thé Vert Marco Polo Tea at Dean and Deluca

6. Wallace, Grand Baroque Tea Service from Overstock (similar to my grandmother’s now “vintage” version)

7. Royal Albert, Old Country Roses Teapot at Macy’s

8. Wedgewood, Golden Bird Teapot at Macy’s

9. Gien France, Mille Fluer Canape Plate at Bloomingdale’s

10. Medium Mesh Ball Infuser from EnjoyingTea.com

11. Anne Marie’s Fine Coffee and Tea, Black Currant Black Tea

12. Villeroy & Boch, My Garden Cup and Saucer at Macy’s

13. Match Pewter, Cutwork Condiment Dish with Spoon at Tabula Tua

14. Marc Blackwell, Mamie’s Garden, All Flowers plate at Dinnerware Depot

15. Williams-Sonoma, Edward Wine Glass

16. Flowers from Empty Vase

17. Anthropologie, Diminutive Spice Cellars

18. Michael Aram for Waterford, Garland Two Tier Server at Bloomingdale’s

19. Raynaud, Wind Song Birds at Gracious Style Home

20. Home Essentials, Etched Drink Dispenser at Macy’s

21. Crate & Barrel, Cotton Fushia Napkin

22. Vietri, Terra Linens, Hemstitch Napkins in Aqua, White & Orange

23. Jadite 10″ Cake Stand at Fishs Eddy

24. Haviland, Floralies Sugar at William Glen

25. Wallace, Grand Baroque Sterling Sliver Double Jigger at Michael C. Fina

26. Anthropologie, Cockatoo Cocktail Napkin

27. Medard de Noblat, Eden at Michael C. Fina

Another day, another snow storm.

Seriously, I never knew winter could last thing long.  I know there are plenty of places that are much, much colder with much harsher weather, but this is enough for me. Particularly when I step onto what I think is the sidewalk, but is really a foot deep puddle of snow and sludge.

I dream of sunshine and tea parties and some asparagus!  Oh, and tomatoes, notfromacan but honesttogoodness real tomatoes that.grow.on.a.vine. Who knew these would become my dreams.

But we aren’t quite there yet…

We have at least a few more weeks of this – seeing the sun peek through and dreaming of spring, to find you’ve overslept because the snow made the streets quiet.  And a few more weeks with our friends, those hearty winter greens that we are just about tired of, so I’ve decided to make the best of it.

And the best of it involves pairing the greens with cheese.  And polenta. Even a wet foot can seem better when creamy polenta and gorgonzola are in your future.

Instead of a ragu, this is just a simple sauté of blanched kale, deep-dark-browned mushrooms, and lots of leeks.  The polenta is served creamy, but just run under the broiler for a minute, to blacken the top and add a bit of smokiness to it all. And between these two layers, a good smothering of gorgonzola.  If you put it there, the heat from the polenta and vegetables will soften it a bit, but it won’t be entirely melted as would be if added directly to the polenta.  I need that bite it gives to ward of this final (please!!) snow.

How do you cope with these long winters?  Seriously, this CA gal could use some tips.

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Polenta with Mushrooms, Kale and Gorgonzola

NOTE: When mushrooms are playing a staring role, I like to quarter them unstead of slice them, so they still have a presence, when they have reduced and browned.

We ate this as dinner, but it would also be great as side to a pork roast (or anything really).

–

Bring four cups of water to a boil.  Once boiling, add salt and then slowly whisk in polenta.  Whisk occasionally (contrary to popular belief, you do not have to stir continuously – just every few minutes while preparing the other things) until all the liquid absorbs and the polenta is thick enough to hold a wooden spoon standing up, about 25-30 minutes. (Or follow the instructions for your particular brand – this is a pretty standard ratio, but every brand is different, with different size grains, etc.).

Meanwhile, in a large heavy bottomed skillet, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat, and add the leeks. Sauté leeks until they are slightly soft and just barely golden, about 5 minutes; remove from pan.  In the same pan, add another tablespoon olive and add mushrooms, cooking as they reduce down and get dark, about 15 minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, blanch the kale in boiling salted water for about 2 minutes, or until it wilts just a bit.  Remove from the water and reserve 1 cup of the salted cooking water.

When the mushrooms are brown, season with salt and pepper. Add the leeks and kale back into the pan; add a bit of the cooking water (about ¼ cup at a time), to bring it all together and scraping up the bits that have collected on the bottom of the pan.  Season with nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

When polenta has finished cooking, add butter and stir to incorporate. Transfer polenta to a greased baking dish and pop under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, or until the top has browned.

Top polenta with gorgonzola cheese (as much or as little as you would like – but truthfully you don’t need much) and leek, mushroom and kale mixture.

I have been thinking about chile verde since well before the Super Bowl.  Like drawing a grid on a poster board and paying $1 per square, there is something about a spicy pot of pork and salsa simmering on the stove that is synonymous to me with that January (or rather February now) Sunday.

So I was planning to make this in DC at a friend’s house – they just moved East and we were going to help them get settled and welcome them to the cold.  The perfect time for chile verde (especially as it pairs particularly well with beer – a requirement on Super Bowl Sunday).  But then there was that silly Snowpocalypse, and we cancelled the trip.  I wasn’t ready to be stuck on a bus for any extra time, regardless of wireless internet, power plugs and extra leg room.

And once you start thinking about chile verde, you can’t just let the feeling pass. You really need to make it. My only mistake was waiting a few weeks.

Chile verde is slow-simmered pork and salsa verde.  I have seen (and made) many versions of the same dish.  Some include tomatillos, some make the green sauce simply from chiles and onions. Some add cilantro to the sauce before it simmers, some add it at the end, some forego it all together.  Some versions even have tomato in the mix. Many add cumin, but I keep it super simple (and I add cumin to too much as it is), so I don’t add extra spices.

I originally made my mom’s version – a recipe she received from a friend origianlly from Mexico.  It had chiles and a couple blanched tomatoes, but no tomatillos and actually used bone-in pork chops instead of pork shoulder.  It also used lard which adds a nice authenticity, but I am more of an olive or vegetable oil gal myself.  (Not that I am totally adverse to lard, but I’d rather keep at least the appearance of trying to make things a tad lighter.)

It was spicy and rather quick, all things considered, as the pork chops do not take as long to tenderize as the pork shoulder. Really – there was no reason to make any changes.

But who are we kidding.  Once I saw how easy it was, I had to make changes, I had to play.  And I think it is better for me to play in the kitchen – otherwise I would play with my food at the dinner table and quite honestly I am a bit old for that.

The version I have settled on uses pork shoulder, tomatillos and chiles, jalapeños both roasted and raw and a good amount of onion and garlic.  I am so happy with this version, I have finally stopped playing with it.

Unless you give me good reason to change it again.

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Chile Verde

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

On a foil lined baking sheet, place tomatillos, anaheim peppers, and 2 whole jalapeño peppers (when you remove the skins from tomatillos, they will be a bit sticky – make sure you rinse them well).  Roast for about 20 minutes or until the skins blacken, turning occasionally during the cooking time.  Place peppers on a plate and cover with plastic wrap to cool, set tomatillos aside.

In the meantime, heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or skillet over medium-high heat.  Season pork cubes with salt and pepper.  Add oil to the pot and brown pork in batches, about 4 minutes per batch.  When you first add the pork, resist any temptation to turn the meat or move the pot for the first 2 minutes – this will help it develop a good brown crust. Then let it brown on the other sides for another 2 minutes, stirring if you wish.  Do not cook through.  Set aside and continue cooking in batches until all pork is browned.

Once the peppers are cooled, remove skins and stems (and seeds of anaheims – keep or discard seeds of jalapeño as you wish) and place in a bowl (or blender or food processor).  Add tomatillos (with skins) and any liquid or flesh that has spilled out on the foil.  For a chunkier sauce, mash the peppers and tomatillos with a potato masher, cutting up any large pieces as needed.  For a more uniform sauce, pulse them together in a blender or food processor.  I prefer a chunkier sauce, but sometimes am a bit lazy, so I go the electric route – the choice is yours.

Chop the remaining jalapeño (seeds or no seeds – again, your choice, I keep it all) and add it to the sauce.

Using the same pot you used to brown the meat, lower heat to medium, remove any excess oil (more than 1 T.), and add onion. Cook the onion for a minute or 2 until it just loses its raw edge and add garlic, cook for additional minute.  (I do not cook the garlic or onion for long here, as they will simmer in the sauce for hours and soften then).

Add browned pork and salsa verde to the pot with the onions and garlic.  Add water to cover and season gently with salt and pepper, as it will all cook down and the flavors will concentrate.

Bring it all to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook, uncovered, for 2-3 hours or until pork is fork tender.  Stir in cilantro (at the end to keep it fresh and bright) and check seasonings.

Serve with corn tortillas, beer and a squeeze of lime.

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