Pork in Adobo Sauce
This Mexican chile pepper is called “Chilaca” when used fresh. In California the Poblano chile is often called Pasilla. Since most of these are bought and distributed from California this mislabeling often carries over into the supermarkets nationwide causing a lot of confusion. This chile is very mild and is usually consumed in the dry form to make the famous Mexican ‘mole’ sauces.
Ingredients:
4 pasilla chiles, seeds and stems removed
4 dried red New Mexican chiles, seeds and stems removed
2 pounds pork from a roast or chops, cut in 1″ cubes
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
water to cover
1/2 tsp. dried Mexican oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a pot, cover the pasilla and New Mexican chiles with water and simmer for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain.
Cover the pork, half the onions, and half the garlic with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove the pork, strain the stock, and reserve both. Discard the onions and garlic.
Place the chiles, remaining onions and garlic, oregano, cumin, and vinegar into a blender and puree until you have a smooth paste. Add some more of the stock if necessary.
In a large saucepan, saute the chile paste in the oil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Thin the mixture with 1-1/2 cups of the reserved stock, add the reserved pork, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. The sauce should be very thick.
Yields 6 servings.
Recipe by Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach.