Week 2: Thursday

I’m going to try this dish with the kids tonight, so it’s a very mild and sweet Chili Verde version. I’m not a big fan of pork (I can’t remember the last time I cooked a pork dish) but my husband loves it. So, this one is specially for you B-.

Before I jump to the recipe I want to document something two things on this post:

Why do I love my pressure cooker?

I can cook with less fat  when using a pressure cooker. The dishes retain more nutrients than with traditional cooking methods and it cooks faster. Pressure cooking retains and intensifies flavors, melding them more quickly, while the pressure produced tenderizes tougher cuts of meat and softens beans, improving textures and flavors. Also, if you have a good quality pressure cooker you can save energy, saving precious resources. Therefore, it’s eco-friendly too! I come from a big “pressure cook” cooking culture. If you’re from Brazil you know what I’m talking about. It took me 13 years to get one and I couldn’t be happier. I have a 5 qt Kuhn Riko Duromatic and if you ever consider buying a pressure cook consider this one, it’s worth the bucks.

Why do I love adding Molasses to almost all my dishes?

I learned more about Molasses when my kid was sick and going through a lot of nutritional challenges. Molasses is a sweetener that is actually good for you. It contains significant amounts of iron, calcium, potassium and other essential minerals. I use any organic kind of blackstrap molasses and 1 a 16 oz. bottle could last almost 6 months in my pantry.

Green Chili Pork

2 to 3 pounds of Pork Sirloin Roast  (put the meat in a Ziplock and marinate it in the morning with 2 tbsp of salt and the juice of 2 lemons)

Start by pure the following ingredients with a blender, hand-mixer or food processor:

2 green bell peppers (organic if possible)

1 chili Passilla

2 green onions

2 large cloves of garlic

1 medium onion

1 handful of fresh cilantro

On a 5qt pressure cook OR regular pan add 1 tbsp olive oil. While heating it, cut the port in 4 inches cubes. Brown the meat and remove (I ended up with a lot of liquid, so I let it evaporate before removing the pork). On the same pan saute the pure for about 8 minutes or until it dries off (the goal here is to let some of the water evaporate and have a concentrated chunky paste). Add the following ingredients to the paste:

2 tsp of dry cumin

2 tsp of salt

1 tsp of chili powder (I used mild)

1 tbsp of blackstrap molasses

1 1/2 cups of chicken broth if you’re using a pressure cooker

OR

2 1/2 cups of chicken broth if you using a conventional pan

(you can use just water if you don’t have chicken broth available)

1 large potato cut in 4 inches cube (optional)

Let it simmer covered for 40-60 minutes if you’re using a conventional pan. If you’re using a pressure cooker let it cook for 15 minutes.

I just finished cooking it and it turned out really delicious and mild. I think the kids’ll enjoy it but I’ll keep the tortillas handy for some last minute quesadillas just in case. Pork sirloin is a very lean cut and it seems perfect for a hearty non-greasy chili. I can’t wait to serve it to my “familia” tonight.

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