Salsa Verde

I have found that salsa is a great way to boost the flavor of the simple weeknight meals that I make in the summer. This tomatillo salsa goes nicely with any roasted or grilled meats. I served it with a pork tenderloin rubbed with a Mexican spice blend, and this week I will be reusing it on tacos containing pulled roast chicken. Best of all, it is incredibly easy to make and makes enough to last through a full summer of boring week night meals.


Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 lb. tomatilloes, washed and husked
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cayenne pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
  
• Salt, optional
  

Directions:

1. Peel the poblano pepper by putting it under the broiler or on top of an open flame on the stove top. Turn it frequently, until all of the skin is charred. Place in a paper bag and let cool for ten minutes. Peel the skin off and discard it. Mince the pepper and place it in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Meanwhile, place the tomatilloes in a sauce pan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Simmer until tomatilloes are soft, approximately 10 minutes. Drain tomatilloes.
3. Add half of the tomatilloes to the bowl of a food processor.
4. Add onion, cayenne pepper, and cilantro to food processor. Process until no solids remain, about 1 minute.
5. Add remaining tomatilloes to food processor and process until no solids remain.
6. Taste salsa for salt (don't add any more salt than a small pinch).
7. Serve at toom temperature.

Carnitas

During the week, I rarely have much time or energy to cook anything more than the simplest of dishes. For this reason, I tend to spend my Sunday nights tending to a braised dish on the stove or a roasted meat in the oven. This Sunday, I prepared carnitas, a Mexican dish consisting of cubed pork butt that is braised in spices until all of the liquid evaporates, and then fried in it's own fat (hey, I ran 15 miles this weekend!). The nice thing about carnitas is that it is so versatile. Having researched a number of recipes, I found that nearly anything combination of ingredients can be used so long as the basic technique is followed. Realizing that it was not necessary to follow a recipe, I decided to make my own, and I was proud of the result, which follows. In order to use up some the lager I bought for the pork, I served the carnitas with Drunken Beans made with Rancho Gordo vaqueros.


Carnitas

Ingredients:

• 3 lb. pork butt, cut into 1.5 inch chunks
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 poblano pepper, chopped
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
• Juice of 1 orange
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 Tb cumin ground
• 2 tsp. dried ancho pepper, ground
• 1 Tb dried marjoram
  
• Salt, for seasoning
• 12 oz. lager beer
• Cilantrol leaves, for serving
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Tomatillo salsa, for serving

Directions:

1. Add first 11 ingredients (up to the salt) to a large dutch oven. Marinate for several hours.
2. Pour in beer and add water to barely cover pork. Simmer pork over moderate heat until meat easily falls apart, approximately 2 hrs.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook until liquid has completely reduced, another hour and a half.
4. Once the only remaining liquid is the pork fat, watch pork carefuly. Cook the pork cubes or shreds, turning occasionally, until brown and crispy.
5. Serve pork over rice or in warmed toritillas. Garnish with cilantro and serve with salsa.