Pork and Tomatillo Stew

The other day I walked into my neighbor's house. It smelled absolutely wonderful. I asked her what she was making and all I caught was pork and tomatillo (I was too distracted by the aroma). When I got home I immediately put tomatillos on my grocery list and set about finding a recipe that had pork and tomatillos in it.

What I made didn't necessarily smell like what her house smelled like, but it was good nonetheless. The recipe reminds me of New Mexico Posole, but without the hominy (which is just fine with me!!). The tomatillos added a wonderful tartness that wasn't overpowering. We all liked and it will definitely be put on my list of repeatable meals.

Pork and Tomatillo Stew
adapted from Food and Wine.com

2 T oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 3" (or smaller is fine too) chunks
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 lrg celery stalks, finely diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 Anaheim chile (also known as Poblano or any other mild green chile), seeded and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t mild chile powder (I found a New Mexico chile powder that is mild and has wonderful flavor)
1 T cumin
pinch of dried oregano
2 c chicken or beef stock
1 c carrots, 1/2" diced
12 oz potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" dice
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 lb tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut into 1" dice

hot sauce
cilantro, chopped
tortillas
lime wedges

Heat the oil in a medium soup pot. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until browned on 2 sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add the celery and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the diced chile, garlic, chile powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring frequently until fragrant about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and tomatillos, cover an simmer over low heat until the pork is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate and shred with two forks. Meanwhile, simmer the stew over moderate heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer the shredded pork into the stew and season with salt and pepper. Serve and garnish with hot sauce, cilantro, tortilla chips and limes.