Chile Verde

A friend of mine gave me a Dutch oven for Christmas. I was dying to try it out! Had a pork loin in the frige and thought I would search the cabinets to see what I could come up with. This is what happened. It was delicious and fairly easy to make!

Chile Verde

2 lb pork loin

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 red onion, diced

1 1/2 cups chicken stock (I used homemade, but I'm sure chicken broth would be just as good)

2-4oz cans mild diced green chiles

2-4oz cans hot diced green chiles

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp oregano

For the dredge:

1 cup flour

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

Sour cream

Tortillas

Cilantro

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 

Cut pork into 1" cubes. Dredge them in the flour mixture and brown in a single layer in a Dutch oven (or any pot you can transfer into the oven.) this may take several rounds. You don't want to over crowd the meat while you are browning it.

While the meat is browning, dice the onion and the garlic. 

Remove the meat and set aside. In the same pot you browned the meat in, sauté the garlic and onion until the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Making sure to scrape all the yummy good stuff from the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer again. Cover and transfer the pot into the oven. Cook for 3 hours. 

Add salt to taste and black pepper, if you like. 

Serve with warm tortillas, sour cream and cilantro.

I originally started with larger pieces of meat, but decided that 1"cubes would work better.....

Only 3 of the cans showed up in the picture...and I diced the whole green chiles up. I would recommend just buying the diced green chiles.

My Monte Cristo

These sandwiches came out so good...the mixture of salty and sweet was perfect!

My Monte Cristo

Maple Aioli
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp dijon mustard

For each sandwich:
4 slices of turkey
1 strip of bacon (cut in half)
1 slice gouda cheese
1 slice muenster
 Sliced bread (the thicker the better) I used an italian sliced bread, but you can use any thick sliced bread that you prefer.

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/8 tsp cinnamon

 For the aioli:
Mix the mayo, syrup, brown sugar and dijon mustard and set aside.
 

Mix 2 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, 2 tsp dijon mustard and 1/8 tsp cinnamon in a small casserole dish.

Make the sandwiches.....Start by spreading a layer of the maple aioli, then the bacon, turkey, ham and cheeses. when the sandwich is assembled, dip both sides in the egg mixture and put into a hot cast iron skillet. Cover and flip after 2-4 minutes....until browned and the cheese is melted.

Traditionally, these are served with strawberry preserves. I had a homemade Spicy Pear jam that I used.

Best French Dip Sandwich!

The french dip is always my "go to"sandwich when we go out for lunch. There's always a ton of meat, a ton of bread and the au jus that gives it the flavor. I decided I would make my own and was NOT DISAPPOINTED! I used sliced roast beef and ingredients that are readily available in the grocery store and it takes practically no time at all!

Best French Dip Sandwich

2-8oz pkgs sliced roast beef
6 French bread rolls
6 slices provolone cheese
1-8oz pkg sliced mushrooms
2 shallots
1 tbsp butter+ more for buttering bread
1 can beef consomme
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1 tbsp olive oil

 In a small skillet, over medium heat, add olive oil. Add one diced shallot and cook about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and butter. Cook about 10 minutes until the mushrooms are soft.

While the mushrooms are cooking, in a separate saucepan, saute one shallot in a little olive oil for 5-7 minutes. Add the beef consomme. Bring to a simmer and then add the cooking sherry.

On each french roll, layer 3 slices of roast beef, some of the mushrooms and top with provolone cheese. Butter the top part of the roll with butter. Put the sandwiches under the broiler....open...for about 3 minutes or until the bread is toasty and the butter is melted.

Serve with the au jus. YUM!

This one had an extra half slice of cheese....which doesn't hurt..lol