Green Chile Stew

This recipe is from our crew member Addison, who moved from Colorado to work at the farm. We’re so glad she did, and brought this southwestern stew recipe with her:

“I thought I was leaving green chiles behind when I moved. It’s been so nice to watch them growing at the farm this year. This is my mom’s recipe that would make good use of the frozen chiles and pork (and a jar of salsa verde?). I’ve also made it vegetarian by tossing in some extra Rancho Gordo beans in lieu of the pork and using veg broth. These New Englanders don’t know what they’ve been missing!”

We adapted this recipe to what’s available in Maine in the winter, and can say this is a delicious and warming stew!

GREEN CHILE STEW

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. veg. or olive oil

1 large onion (or 2 medium) chopped

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

4 Tblsp. flour

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground pepper

1 ½ lbs. pork tenderloin or chops, cut in ¼” cubes (or extra can of beans to make vegetarian; we used black beans along with the pintos)

3 cups pork or chicken broth (or veggie broth; we used water and the roasted chile juices)

1 cup roasted green chilies, chopped (1 package frozen from Whatley Farm)

½ tsp. oregano

1 tsp. salt

1 can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes, more or less to taste (we used Heirloom Salsa)

1 jar Salsa Verde

2 chipotle peppers, diced (optional)

Smoked Salt and Pepper (optional, adds great smoke flavor)

2 - 3 cups pinto beans and/or black beans (we used both for the vegetarian version))

STEP 1

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onion & garlic, cover and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes to wilt the onions (do not brown).

STEP 2

Raise heat to medium, stir in flour, cumin, & black pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to cook the rawness out of the flour. The onions will ball into clumps, but that doesn’t matter. When it just begins to color, remove pan from heat and gradually pour in the broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.   

STEP 3

Add all remaining ingredients, except beans and cilantro. Return pan to heat and bring to boiling point, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lightly puree, if desired, with a mixing wand or blender. Add beans and cilantro at end to heat through. Enjoy!

Momma Whatley's Sweet Radish Apple Slaw Recipe

In a large mixing bowl, combine:
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
3 Tbsp mild flavored oil such as grapeseed or sunflower oil
1 Tbsp finely chopped onion or 2-3 Tbsp finely chopped shallot
2-3 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
Optional - 1 Tbsp finely chopped ginger

Shred with food processor with shredding disk (larger holes) or the largest holes on a box grater:
6 small winter radishes (or larger equivalents!), peeled and trimmed
1 large carrot, peeled
1 or 2 crisp apples, peeled and cored (the apple could be chopped up instead of shredded if you prefer, which is how I do it for bigger bites of apple)

Toss all ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill for an hour before serving.

Salsa Verde

Ingredients:
1 quart tomatillos
1 fresh onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 chile pepper
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt
Cilantro, chopped

Roast the tomatillos, onion quarters, garlic cloves, and whole pepper in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Then, transfer everything into a pot on the stovetop and simmer it for another 15-20 minutes. When it's cooked down, use a stick blender to blend it together. Add lime juice and salt to taste and stir in cilantro. Enjoy!

Zesty Pea Shoot Pesto

Here’s something you can do with a bag of our pea shoots!

Crush 1 clove of garlic and chop in the food processor with some a pinch of sea salt and 1/4 cup roasted pistachios (or other nuts). Add the pea shoots (our standard bag is 1/4 lb), 1/4 c EVOO, and 2 Tablespoons lime (or lemon) juice and pulse until blended to the desired consistency. Add 1/2 c grated parmesan (or similar), and serve as a zesty cracker spread.

Farmer Ben's Roasted Pepper Soup

Here’s a great soup to warm you in the winter! It uses our frozen roasted peppers and tomato puree. We like to serve it with cornbread or crostini, and salad with homemade buttermilk ranch :)

Ingredients

1 package of Whatley Farm Hot or Sweet Italian Peppers

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 medium potato, chopped

1x 24 oz jar of Whatley Farm Tomato Puree

Bit of butter and olive oil

Dashes of herbs and spices like basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary and thyme

1 generous splash cream or half and half (optional)

1. Do ahead: thaw the peppers.

2. Once thawed, remove the stem and seeds and chop the peppers. Set aside ⅓ of the peppers to add at the end.

3. Sweat onion, carrot, and celery in a bit of butter and olive oil, using a saucepan on medium heat. Add salt and any herbs/spices you’ve chosen.

4. Add one chopped potato and cook until they soften.

5. Add the tomato puree and bring to a high simmer. 

6. Add ⅔ of the chopped peppers and let soup simmer for 20 mins or so.

7. Blend the soup with an immersion blender. Back on the stove, add the remaining ⅓ of the peppers. 

8. Optional: add a splash of cream or half and half just before serving.