Pork, Poblano, and Quinoa Chili
This chile pepper is often mislabeled ‘Pasilla’, which is a different pepper entirely.It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico and has won the appreciation of many a chef worldwide because of the superior flavor it has over regular bell peppers.
They have a tough outer skin that usually requires roasting and peeling before use. These very large chile peppers are most popular in chiles rellenos recipes, but cooking with these as a substitute for bell peppers in any recipe will enhance the flavor.
Serves: 10 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 ½ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 ¾ pounds uncooked lean pork, chopped into cubes (I used pork loin chops)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 poblano peppers, deseeded and chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cans (14 ½ ounces each) fire roasted tomatoes
2 cans (14 ½ ounces each) chicken broth
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup uncooked quinoa
Zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 2 limes
Chopped cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, cumin, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper together. Pour the spice mix over the pork and thoroughly combine, coating each piece.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once heated, add in the pork and ½ teaspoon of salt and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring to ensure the pork cubes are browned on all sides. Remove the pork from the pan and set aside on a plate.
Add the poblano and bell peppers, onion and ½ teaspoon salt to the pot. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add in the tomatoes, chicken broth, 2 cups of water, cinnamon stick, and pork. Stir until combined. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for about 20 minutes. Add in the quinoa, orange zest, and orange juice. Cover again and simmer for another 20 minutes until the pork is tender and the quinoa is cooked. Squeeze in the lime juice and stir. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving and add a sprinkle of cilantro to each bowl.
NOTES
Serving size: about 1 ¼ cup