Saturday, January 26, 2008

Tomatillo Braised Pork

One of my favorite Mexican food chefs is Rick Bayless. I have all of his books. I got this recipe from One Plate at a Time. He runs possibly the best Mexican restaurant in the US on Clark Street between Illinois and Hubbard. If you are ever in Chicago, go to the Frontera Grill.

Tomatillo Braised Pork

1 pound tomatillos
1 jalapeno
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
salt
10 small red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed and quartered and boiled until soft
2 pounds pork loin.

Brown the pork in a Dutch oven. Roast the tomatillos and jalapeno under the broiler until little black spots form on the skins. Drop the tomatillos and jalapeno into the blender and blend until smooth. Remove the pork to a plate. Saute the onion until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drop the sauce into the pot with the onions. Cook a few minutes until the sauce thickens and darkens. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir. Drop the pork in and braise it, covered, at 325. After it has been cooking for 1/2 hour drop in the cooked potatoes. Cook for another 1/2 hour and test the temperature of the meat. When the meat reaches 160 to 165 degrees remove it from the oven.

Pour the sauce and potatoes onto a platter and top with sliced pork. I garnished it with a little feta cheese and some cilantro.
Serve with tortillas.