Green Chili with Pork Recipe

On September 16, 2020September 16, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn RecipesLeave a comment

One of the things that you find throughout the southwest is green chili. You often find it as a topping for Mexican food, but this particular recipe is an actual meal and not meant to be a condiment. Cooking it low and slow allows the meat to become tender and absorb even more of the flavor of the peppers. We happened to have grown jalapenos over the summer, so we had several on hand, although they were a little smaller than normal. This is a great meal for cooler weather that is easy to make and will warm you up on the inside. If you like it a little spicier, you can simply add more peppers or leave more of the seeds in.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs Boneless Pork Shoulder – cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 Small Red Onion – chopped
2 Small Jalapenos – halved, one seeded and one with seeds left in
4 to 5 Tomatillos – husked, cleaned, and cut in half
3 cloves Garlic
1/4 cup Cilantro Leaves
3 tbsp Canola Oil
3 cups Chicken Stock
Juice of 1 Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Toss the onion, tomatillos, jalapenos, and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the oil, salt, and pepper. Heat an oven to 400 degrees and place the vegetables on a foil lined sheet pan and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once after about 15 to 20 minutes. When the vegetables have finished roasting, transfer them to a food processor and add the cilantro and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the pork. Cook until browned on all sides, about 5 to 8 minutes and use a slotted spoon to remove the pork from the skillet. Combine the pork, green chili sauce, and chicken stock in slow-cooker and cook over low heat for 3 to 4 hours. Transfer to individual bowls and serve.

Individual Serving of Green Chili with Pork

Slow Cooked Ropa Vieja – A Cuban Style Beef Stew

On September 2, 2020September 2, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Central America, Recipes3 Comments

Although Ropa Vieja is considered to be the national dish of Cuba, it is also something that is popular in Panama and we saw it on several menus during our trip there. We are always on the lookout for meals that we can slow cook and this was a delicious weeknight dinner. The meat was very tender and the spices subtle, but still very flavorful. It is a simple recipe to make and works great for a large party, although we made it just for the two of us.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Chuck Roast
2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 tsp Ground Coriander
1/2 medium Red Onion – sliced
1 small Green Bell Pepper – sliced
1 Poblano Pepper – seeded and diced
3 cloves Garlic – finely chopped
4 cups Chicken Stock
1/3 cup Golden Raisins
2 tbsp Capers
1/4 cup Fresh Lime Juice
2 to 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parsley or Cilantro for garnish
White Rice

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the coriander, cumin, salt and pepper in a small bowl and then thoroughly rub the roast with the spice mixture. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Simmer the roast on all sides until the meat is browned, about 8 minutes total. Move the meat to the slow cooker and then add the onion, bell pepper, and poblano pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 4 minutes, and add the garlic and cook for a minute or two more. Transfer the vegetables and any remaining oil to the slow cooker and cover with the chicken stock. Add the raisins, capers, lime juice, and cover. Cook for 6 hours on low heat. Cook the rice to the package directions. When the roast is done cooking, use a fork to shred the meat, and then use a slotted spoon to the finished Ropa Vieja over the rice and serve.

Moroccan-Style Chicken

On August 5, 2020August 5, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn morocco, Recipes2 Comments

We love the spices of Moroccan food and one of our favorite memories of visiting Morocco was going to the market and buying spices to bring home with us. We also bought a tajine while we were in Morocco, but we chose to use a slow cooker for this recipe. Obviously, you can use a Dutch oven or tajine if you prefer. In addition to the spices, this dish also features olives and raisins, which again reminds of our time in Southern Spain as well as Morocco. Especially when cooking with olives, it is important to use high-quality olives whose flavor you really enjoy. We used olives stuffed with pimentos, which just added to the flavor of the dish. The chicken turned out tender and even though there are a lot of spices, it is certainly not a spicy dish. We did the recipe just for the two of us, but it can easily be increased to serve a crowd.

INGREDIENTS

2 Large Chicken Thighs
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp All-Spice
1/4 tsp Salt or to taste – but don’t over salt as the olives are salty as well
1/8 tsp Fennel Seeds – crushed
1 dash of Fresh Nutmeg – about 3 or 4 scrapes of the nutmeg across a micro-plane
1/2 Yellow Onion – roughly chopped
1 1/2 cloves Garlic – minced
1/2 cup Olives Stuffed with Pimentos – cut in half
1/4 cup Golden Raisins
1/2 Fresh Lemon (or 1 small Lemon) – thinly sliced
2 to 3 cups Chicken Stock – just enough to cover the chicken
Basmati Rice – cooked to the package directions
Parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all of the spices in a small bowl to combine thoroughly. Spray the inside of a slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add the onion and place the chicken thighs on top of the onion. Cover the chicken with the spice mixture, being sure to thoroughly coat the the chicken with the spices. Add the garlic, olives, raisins, lemon, and add the chicken stock just until the chicken is covered. Cook on low for 5 hours, stirring once close to the end of cooking. Serve over Basmati rice.