Pork Stew in Green Salsa (Guisado de Puerco con Tomatillos)

If you like spicy food, you will love this.  It was a real lesson in flavor-building.  Not only did it show me how much the lowly tomatillo and chopped green chiles add to a dish, but also how beautifully pork melds all of those flavors together.  It was delicious.  I didn't have marjoram on hand and I'm curious to see what that adds next time I make this.  I served it with re-fried beans and tortillas.  Try it!

6 servings

11 calculated points

Syrah, Zinfandel, Mourvedre

Ingredients

• 1 ⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 ⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (3 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or more if needed
• 1 large onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups chopped fresh tomatillos
• 1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles drained
• 2 fresh jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1 cup canned chicken broth
• 1 pinch salt or to taste (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sour cream divided

Directions

Stir together the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and cumin in a large bowl. Place the cubed pork into the mixture, and stir well to coat the meat with the seasonings.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Working in batches if necessary, place the meat into the hot pan in a single layer. Pan-fry the pork until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove the pork to a bowl, and cover to keep warm.

Cook and stir the onion in the hot pan over medium heat, adding more olive oil if necessary, until the onion is translucent and beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Return the meat to the pan and stir in the garlic, tomatillos, chiles, marjoram, chopped cilantro, jalapeno and broth. Check seasoning and add 1 pinch of salt to taste, if needed. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 40 minutes. Skim excess fat off the stew before serving in bowls, garnished with a dollop of sour cream and a cilantro