Here’s another excellent dish from the Santa Fe School of Cooking. This Carne Adovado was served over the Chiles Rellenos. Recipes for the remaining items on the plate will be provided in future posts.
Chiles Rellenos, Carne Adovada, Flour Tortillas, Calabacitas, Frijoles Refritos
Carne Adovado
1/3 cups peanut or vegetable oil
3 ½ lbs. pork loin or butt, cut in 3/4-inch cubes
2 cups diced onions
2 T minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth
2 t ground coriander seeds
2 t dried Mexican oregano
2 t chile caribe
¾ cups Chimayo ground red chile, mild or medium
1 T red chile honey
2 T Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown pork in batches. Set the pork aside. Add the onion to skillet and sauté until golden. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze the skillet with 1 cup of the chicken broth, loosening the browned bits of a spoon.
Place the coriander, oregano, chile caribe, red chile powder, red chile, honey, vinegar and salt in the workbook of a food processor. Add the cooked onions, garlic and broth from the skillet and 2 more cups of chicken broth. Process until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
Place the browned pork, the chile marinade and the remaining 1 cup chicken broth in an ovenproof pot or dish, stir the combine well, and cook for 1 hour or until the pork is tender.
Serves 8.
Note: The traditional method for making this dish is to mix the marinade ingredients together and pour this over the meat. Cover the mixture and refrigerate overnight. Pour the meat and the marinade into an ovenproof casserole or pot and bake, covered, for 2-2 ½ hours, or until tender. The method described above, although not so traditional, brings out the flavors of the onion, garlic and pork because the ingredients are caramelized or browned first. Whichever method you choose, the dish is full of flavor and will be a favorite. You can serve the Carne Adovada over chile rellenos, rice, wrapped in a flour tortilla as a burrito, or with beans and posole.