Guest Chef Drew Johnson prepares a salsa verde, a perfect sauce for chicken or pork or a dipping sauce with fresh tortilla chips.

Guest Chef Drew Johnson prepares a salsa verde, a perfect sauce for chicken or pork or a dipping sauce with fresh tortilla chips.

by Guest Chef Drew Johnson Staff Writer KTUU

April 14, 2010

Ingredients:

  • 10-12 tomatillos
  • 2 poblano chilies
  • 2 jalapenos
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large onions diced
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup cilantro
  • 1 lime juiced
  • Salt and pepper

Procedure:

  1. Preheat oven to 450
  2. When the oven is ready put the chilies, jalapenos, and tomatillos on a baking sheet and roast until the skin on all is beginning to brown and char
  3. Once they are browned pull from oven and let cool
  4. In a large sauce pan add your oil, onions, garlic, cumin and oregano
  5. Sauté till soft and slightly browned
  6. Chop the tomatillos and reserve any juice from them
  7. Remove the seeds from the jalapenos and poblanos and chop them
  8. Add the chopped tomatillos, poblanos, and jalapenos to the pan
  9. Add remaining ingredients except the cilantro and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes on a low simmer stirring occasionally
  10. Add cilantro
  11. If you have an immersion blender you can carefully blend all ingredients now. If not, cool and then puree in a food processor
  12. If too thick add more chicken stock until desired consistency is achieved.

This sauce goes extremely well with pork or chicken. Also great by itself with some fresh tortilla chips.

Pork carnitas

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 large white onion diced small
  • 5 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons Chile de arbol powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Water

Procedure:

  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven add all ingredients except salt
  2. Fill the pot with water until all the pork is submerged
  3. Bring ingredients to a boil over high heat
  4. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer
  5. Do not allow to boil again
  6. Cook until the pork is fork tender -- about 90 minutes
  7. Continue to cook until all the liquid is evaporated
  8. Once liquid is evaporated, the pork will begin to fry in its own oils
  9. Continue to fry until pork is browned and crispy
  10. Season to taste with salt and pepper