Cuisine: Spicy Chipotle Pork Stew

Yesterday, I was in a funk. So I decided to cook. This is what I created. It was the perfect remedy. It is very spicy and comforts the soul.

To make it less spicy, add less chipotle peppers and jalapenos.

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For the marinate:
1 small onion, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch Italian parsley, roughly chopped
2 tsp. salt

Mix all of the above inredients together. Set aside for about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve any liquid.

For the rub:
1 tsp. smoked chiplotle powder
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. spicy smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground corriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
3 lbs. tamale pork, cubed in large chunks

Mix dry ingredients and rub on pork. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Then mix with marinate. Set aside for another 15 minutes. Drain and reserve any liquid.

Cooking the pork:
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP safflower or other vegetable oil

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add pork. Fry pork on all sides. Pork should brown, and there should be bits of seasoning stuck to the bottom of the pan. Remove pork from dutch oven (it will not be cooked fully) and set aside in a covered bowl.

The vegetable base:
1 red bell pepper, cut in large chunks
1 1/2 small onions, cubed
3 carrots, cut in large strips
2 1/2 jalapenos, cored, seeded, and diced
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix vegetables together with salt and set aside for about 10 minutes. Drain and keep any liquid.












Place vegetables in dutch oven after pork is removed. Cook vegetables making sure to scrape off burnt seasoning off the bottom for about 10 minutes on medium high heat. Not all seasoning will come off. Remove vegetables and set aside.

The stew base:
4 chipotle peppers (from canned chipotle peppers), cored and seeded, plus all adobo sauce
2 cans whole tomatoes, roughly chopped
7 cloves dry roasted garlic, sliced (This can be done over the stove in a dry pan with garlic cloves still in their skins. It takes about 15 minutes.)
1/4 cup water

Cook chipotle peppers and adobo sauce in dutch oven, scrapping the bottom to remove as much of the burnt seasonings as possible for about 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add tomatoes and all their juices. Continue scraping bottom of dutch oven and cook for another 5 minutes. Add all reserved liquids and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and water. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add vegetables and pork and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Beans and potatoes:
3 small potatoes, cubed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. salt

Mix potatoes and salt and set aside for 15 minutes. Drain all liquid. Add pinto beans and potatoes to stew once it has been removed from heat. Taste stew to see if additional salt needs to be added.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cover dutch oven and cook for 1 hour. Mix twice as it is cooking. Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes. Sauce will thicken. Remove and cool for 10 minutes.

Serve with Cabbage and Tangerine Slaw, Mexican sour cream, and fresh tortillas.

Click here for a grocery list for the above dinner.