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NEIGHBOR JOHN'S GREEN CHILI

Sharing Mountain Recipes
by Randi Lee Levin
One bitter cold evening, while visiting with John, he heated a container of his fabulous spicy Green Chili to warm the chill away. Warmed by the pungent jolt of spice, I asked him to write down the recipe, so that I may share it with my readers. Impressed with himself and the compliment, he obliged my request and graciously wrote the following down on the back of an envelope, right then and there. Be prepared, for this chili is a tad spicy, but guaranteed to warm even the coolest of souls. Best served with lots of cheese, sour cream and a few slices of avocado; these additions help to temper the heat of this piquant delight.
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground buffalo or 1/2 pound each ground beef and ground pork
• 5 garlic cloves, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced or diced
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh diced cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 pounds fresh green chilies, roasted, peeled, deveined and seeded
• One 32-ounce can tomatillos (Mexican green tomatoes) in juice
• 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) chicken broth, canned or homemade
• 5 ancho jalapenos (dried)
• One 16-ounce can black beans, undrained
• One 12-ounce beer (optional)


Directions

1. Over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic and onions in a large pot until slightly brown. Add the ground meats and dry spices. Decrease the temperature and allow this mixture to simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Cover the ancho jalapenos with warm water and allow them to soak for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, place the seeded fresh chilies into a blender or food processor, add the tomatillos and chicken broth and blend until smooth. Add the pre-soaked jalapenos to the blender mixture and blend them in.

3. Add the mixture from the blender and the black beans to the pot of meat mixture and simmer at a low temperature for 60-90 minutes. For more liquid and flavor, add the beer during the last 45 minutes of simmering. Serve hot with cheese and sour cream.