Green Mole Stew

Another recipe, this one Oaxacan, based off of one in Diana Kennedy's "The Art of Mexican Cooking." A book I highly recommend buying if you are into regional Mexican cuisine and not just Tex Mex.

Ingredients:

For the Pork:

• 1 TB shortening
• 2 LB pork cut in cubes
• 1/2 white onion cut in slices
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste.

For the Sauce:

• 5 tomatillos
• 1 green tomato
• 3/4 cup water
• 5 small garlic cloves peeled.
• 1/4 large white onion
• 2 tsp mexican oregano
• pinch of cumin seed
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 whole allspice
• 2 jalapenos, seeded
• 1 TB shortening
• 1/4 LB prepared corn tortilla masa
• 1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 big leafy stems of epazote (I find this dried at my local mercado, La Perla off Rodney Parham)
• 1/2 a small bunch of fresh parsley, stems removed and roughly chopped
• 4 avocado leaves (also found dried at La Perla)
• 3/4 cup water
• salt to taste

Directions

• Melt the shortening in a skillet and fry the onions until soft.
• Add the pork and cook until browned.
• Grind on black pepper to taste.
• Simmer while making sauce.

To Make Sauce:

• Roughly chop tomatillos and green tomato.
• Add to blender along with 3/4 cups water, garlic cloves, roughly chopped onion, Mexican oregano, pinch of cumin, 2 cloves, 2 whole allspice, and jalapenos.
• Blend until smooth.
• Heat the shortening in a large skillet and add the blended mixture.
• Saute for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile mix 1/4 cup masa with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth.
• After the green mole mixture has sauteed for 15 minutes add the masa and broth mixture to the mole mixture along with 1 more cup of chicken broth.
• Simmer for about 10 minutes or until thickened.
• Meanwhile in a blender add the greens: the epazote, parsley and avocado leaves, and 3/4 cup water.
• Blend until smooth.
• After the mole mixture has cooked for 10 minutes add the herb mixture and stir in gently.
• Add the meat and onion mixture and serve in bowls as a stew with corn tortillas on the side.