Spicy Chili Verde With White Beans Optional Chicken Food

SPICY CHILI VERDE WITH WHITE BEANS & OPTIONAL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Remove papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse off any dirt. Place tomatillos and jalapeno peppers on a rimmed baking sheet. If you want to minimize the risk of the tomatillos exploding, score them by giving each a quick shallow slice with a knife - though I've never done this. Which is probably one of many reasons why I need to clean my oven.
• Bake, turning tomatillos and peppers over once about 15 minutes in, until they're soft and blackened in spots, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
• While the tomatillos and the peppers are roasting, assemble the base of the soup. To a large saucepan or medium soup pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. When heated, add the onion and oregano. Saute until soft and fragrant but not browned. Add garlic, coriander, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for one more minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for three minutes. Slowly pour in the vegetable broth, stirring while you pour.
• Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Peel jalapenos and taste the flesh. If they're very mild, you may want to add both peppers to the soup, seeds and all. On the other hand, if they're particularly hot, you may want to discard the seeds entirely and only one pepper, or even half of one pepper. Jalapenos can vary greatly in heat, so I've learned tasting and then adding cautiously is the way to go. Add the tomatillos and juices from the pan to the soup as well.
• Remove soup from heat and, using an immersion blender or by carefully transferring to a blender in batches, puree the soup. Return to medium-low heat. Add the beans and the can of diced green chilies and stir to combine. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
• If adding chicken to half, set a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and transfer about 3 cups of the chili to the pan. Add cooked shredded chicken and stir. Bring to a simmer then serve. If adding chicken to all, add it to the main pot now.
• Bring to a simmer to heat the chilies and white beans. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice.
• Ladle into bowls and serve with cilantro leaves, additional lime wedges for squeezing over the top, and sour cream or Greek yogurt if desired.
• Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

GREEN HELL CHILI VERDE WITH WHITE BEANS AND PORK

Steps:

• Trim excess fat off of pork chops and cut into cubes or chunks.
• Heat oil in the bottom of your stock pot over medium heat, add pork, salt and black pepper to taste. Cook until pork is browned and cooked through.
• Add tablespoon (or more) concentrated ham stock or four cups prepared ham stock, stir into the pork.
• Stir the mixture, cover the pot, turn down a touch and leave it alone.
• Peel tomatillos, garlic cloves, and yellow onions. Trim the roots off of the green onions and cut them into four inch pieces. Split and seed the jalapeno peppers. Chop the cilantro. Liquify all ingredients in a blender or food processor, adding water as needed. They must be liquified and smooth. Fill a large mixing bowl with the puree as you go. When all of the ingredients are liquified and in the large mixing bowl, whisk in the white pepper, black pepper and cumin. Set it aside.
• Stir the pork, oil, and ham concentrate. When the pork is browned and tender, add liquified ingredients, stir together, bring to a gentle simmer, cover the pot again, and turn heat down to just above "low." Ignore for a minimum of two hours (I generally go for three). This lets the flavors combine and develop and become very fragrant. Stir it if you want to, but I have not found it necessary. In two or three hours, your kitchen should reek and the stew should be bright green, potent, fragrant, and ready for completion.
• After a few hours, mix your favorite cornbread recipe (savory is better than sweet on this one), pop that in the oven (20 minutes or so?) and open the canned beans into a strainer or colander. Drain and rinse beans in cold water and add to the soup pot. Stir the beans into the stew, bring to a gentle simmer once again, and cover.
• Mix corn flour or wheat flour into very cold water until all of the lumps are gone and you have formed a thick-ish slurry. Add to the soup pot, stir constantly until thick.
• Time to eat. Serve with warm cornbread or tortillas or both. Top servings with shredded pepper jack or mexican blend cheese and sour cream, garnish with chopped cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

SPICY WHITE CHILI WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion, jalapeno, and garlic until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, Great Northern beans, garbanzo beans, corn, green chiles, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, and black pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir chicken into broth. Cover and simmer chili for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Whisk cornstarch and water together in a bowl; stir into chili and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until chili is thickened, about 5 minutes.