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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Green Chile Stew


It's chile season in New Mexico, the perfect time to make a nice big batch of Green Chile Stew. Of course it's extra good in the colder winter months, so I always stock up on chiles for the freezer. If you can't get fresh roasted green chiles where you are, don't despair. You can often find them in the freezer section of large markets, and even the canned ones will make a very fine stew.


Green Chile Stew
This is one of my "un-recipes," meaning I know what goes in it, but not exactly how much. My advice is to get out a pot you want to fill, lay out all the ingredients, and start chopping and adding to the mix until it looks good to you. Ingredients here are listed in order of appearance.

yellow onion, chopped
carrots, chopped
vegetable broth (one box should be enough)
beer (one bottle ought to do it)
green chiles, fresh roasted, skins removed, chopped (I use about 1/2 pound in a large pot)
potatoes, chopped
fresh tomatoes, chopped (canned will be good too)
cumin
salt
cinnamon (just a smidge)
tamari
squash, chopped - use a mix of zucchini, yellow, and calabacitas if you can get them
black beans, cooked - 1-2 cans
corn, fresh or frozen - I use a whole bag. I like corn.

Steam-fry the onions and carrots in a little bit of water.
Add the broth, beer, green chiles, potatoes, and tomatoes.
Bring to a boil, add seasonings, and cook until potatoes are about half done.
Add the squash and cook until potatoes are done, and squash is softened, but not mushy.
Add the beans and corn.
Cook till everything is hot. Adjust seasonings. Serve with Millet Cornbread, or any other good bread you like.