CHILE VERDE
We all know that chili is thick, rich, spicy, meaty,
complex, and red, right?But what about green chili, that equally complex, fresher,
porkier cousin common to many Southwestern states? The
most basic and hardcore version of New Mexico chile verde
is made by simmering rich cuts of pork in a thick stew of
roasted Hatch chiles, onions, garlic, salt, and little else. As
the meat is braised until tender, the broth picks up the flavor
of the melted pork fat along with the uniquely sweet and
bitter taste of the chiles, made smoky from roasting until
nearly blackened.
Grown in the town of Hatch (population: ~2,000) in
southern New Mexico, these chiles provide a complex
backbone that few other single ingredients can. I don’t
spend much time in New Mexico—I have a thing about heat
and dream catchers—and fresh Hatch chilies rarely make
their way to the Northeast, which leaves me with canned or
frozen chiles. But neither of these two roast particularly
well, and that smoky char is the best part of green chili.
Luckily, I also don’t place much credence in authenticity.
I’ll settle for delicious. I live far enough away from New
Mexico that, hopefully, I’ll be able to see the dust trail
roused up by the violently inclined green chili fanatics
approaching and beat a hasty retreat.
The Peppers
It’s certainly possible to get some form of Hatch chile to