Tacos with Pork in Green Sauce
- Yield: Makes 15-20 tacos = 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2pounds tomatillos (15 to 18), husked and rinsed
- 2 serrano or jalapeno chiles, stemmed
- 1teaspoon cumin seed
- 3 allspice berries
- 1 whole clove
- 3medium garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2cup coarsely chopped cilantro
- 1 1/2teaspoons salt, divided
- 3pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a 3-quart saucepan, cover the tomatillos and chiles with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the vegetables uncovered, turning occasionally, until the tomatillos are tender and khaki-green all over but still intact, about 15 minutes. Reserve the cooking liquid.
- Heat the cumin, allspice berries, and clove in a small, dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan or stirring the spices until they are fragrant and the cumin is a few shades darker, about 1 minute.
- Put the spices in a blender along with 1 cup of the tomatillo cooking water and blend until the spices are ground. Using a slotted spoon, gently lift the tomatillos and chiles out of the remaining cooking water and put them in the blender along with the garlic, cilantro, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth.
- Pat the pork dry and season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy 4- to 5-quart pot over medium-high heat and brown the pork in batches without crowding, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes per batch.
- Return all the meat to the pan and add the tomatillo sauce. Bring to a simmer, stirring to coat the meat, then reduce the heat. Simmer the pork, covered, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce is thickened, 11⁄2 to 2 hours. If necessary, continue to cook uncovered to thicken the sauce. Shred the meat with two forks.
- Make tacos with the accompaniments (warm corn tortillas, Mexican crema or sour cream, chopped white onion, chopped cilantro)
Note: The pork in green sauce will keep chilled for 3 days.
–From Just Tacos by Shelley Wiseman, published by The Taunton Press. Reprinted with permission from The Taunton Press.