When it's raining, or it's cold, or it's raining and cold, sometimes you just want something warm, and simple, yet complex at the same time. This is one of our go to meals on such a day, like today, and can be easily adapted to your own personal tastes (more on this at the end of the post). This recipe makes a lot. It freezes well, or is great for a gathering....on a rainy, or cold, or cold and rainy day.....
-olive oil
-chile powder
-ancho chile powder
-chipotle chile powder
-cinnamon
-cumin
-garlic powder
-salt
-pepper
-1 package (2 pieces) pork tenderloin: trimmed, silver skin removed, cut in to 1/4 inch chunks or whatever size you like (long pieces, random pieces, etc).
-1 large or two small sweet onions, chopped (again, to your liking, I prefer 1/8 dice)
-10, yes 10, cloves of garlic, minced or sliced very thin (there's that Paul Sorvino Goodfellas thing showing up again)
-1 red pepper, again diced, sometimes I go 1/8 inch and sometimes I go 1/4.
-1 yellow pepper, repeat instructions from the red pepper
-6 small cans of diced green chiles. If you are ambitious and are roasting them yourself, I would just suggest you use a lot of green chiles.
-6 small zucchini, diced like the peppers.
-2 cans of diced tomatoes, juice slightly drained from can.
-1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 can great northern white beans, rinsed and drained
-1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 tsp lemon zest plus squeeze of lemon juice
-1/4 tsp orange zest plus squeeze of orange juice
-1/4 tsp lime zest plus squeeze of lime
1. Coat a large pot with olive oil. Add onion, saute til opaque. Add peppers, saute. Add garlic, saute. Remove from heat.
2. In a large ziplock bag or bowl, add raw pork tenderloin, and seasonings. I would use at minimum 3-4 tbsp of chile powder, 1/2 tsp ancho, 1/2 tsp chipotle (watch out, they are hot, so they can be omitted or just waived over the pot), 1 tsp cinammon, 2 tbsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Shake.
3. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat a little extra virgin olive oil on high heat, add pork. Brown pork, add, along with any juice, to onion mixture.
4. Add green chiles, and tomatoes to pot. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add beans. Let simmer ten minutes.
6. Add tomato paste, let simmer five minutes.
7. Add citrus zest and juice. Remove from heat, add chopped zucchini, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.
Suggest to serve this with acoutrements of shredded really sharp cheddar, sour cream, and chopped chives. You can also include a mixture of chopped avocado, onion, and cilantro with a hint of lime zest. You can also edit this recipe to your taste. If you want to make a white chile with chicken, then omit the red and yellow pepper and use chicken breast, all white beans, and green chiles only, yellow tomatoes, and no tomato paste. If you don't like zucchini, don't use it. If you want more vegetables, spinach is a great addition. Feta works great instead of cheddar as a substitute for cotija cheese. Greek yogurt with some lime and salt is a great substitute for sour cream.
