Its the vegetarian cooking pork again

Here is an excellent recipe that I've been making off and on for 45 years; it comes from a Sunset Mexican Cook Book of Simplified Techniques published in 1969. (Rick Bayless was probably just a babe in diapers at that point in time.)

It is my tradition to write comments in the book margins beside the recipes. Here is a sampling:

7/87 - Good, again! Before Tandy Beal and to Tahoe.

9/22/97 - with Grant and Heidi who was 8 mo. pregnant. Grant says: use smaller pieces of pork!

12/89 - needs jalapenos! (Ah, our palates are getting sophisticated, or wrecked!)

12/12/'08 - for Bob's 76th. All enjoyed.

Grant and Heidi say that their guests like the dish so well that they serve it often.

So here is the recipe adding some heat; serve it with white rice, sour cream, and hot flour tortillas. Make this recipe more simple by having the butcher or an assistant cut off the fat and cube the meat!

PORK STEW with TOMATILLOS

2 1/2 # lean boneless port butt

2 Tbsp. oil

1 lg. onion, chopped

2-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 c. chopped tomatillos, fresh or canned (drained) (I've never used canned.)

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 can (7 oz) CA chopped green chiles

1 tsp. marjoram leaves

salt to taste

1/4 c. lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 c. water

1. Trim and discard fat and cut pork intp 3/4 to 1 inch cubes. Brown meat (about 1/3 at a time) in oil over medium-high heat in wide frying pan or dutch oven. Remove all meat from pan and cook onion until limp.

2. Stir in garlic, tomatillos, chiles, marjoram, salt, coriander, and water. Return meat to pan, cover and simmer until meat is fork tender, about 1 hour. Skim off fat, if necessary.

3. Serve over rice and pass sour cream, tortillas and extra cilantro. Makes 4-6 servings.