Subj : chile verde comments
To   : Dave Drum
From : Ruth Haffly
Date : Wed Sep 28 2022 13:20:13

Hi Dave,


 DD> I learned about chile verde from MSGT (Ret) Jerry Simmons a two time
 DD> ICS World Champion who made a mean pot of green.

 RH> Army? Wonder if he was ever stationed in TX or AZ? I've read about
 RH> chili verde, read different recipies, but have always made either the
 RH> family friendly chili (with my adaptations) that I grew up with or the
 RH> competition style I riffed from a Mr. Food's recipe.

 DD> Pretty sure Jerry was a grunt. Not goofy enough to be a jarhead. Nor
 DD> laid back enough for a wing wiper.

Infantry got the "grunt" designation, long before Steve went into the
Army.


 DD> He always said it's about the flavour of the green chilies more than
 DD> the heat - although you do need *some* heat.  Bv)=

 RH> Agreed, but not "blow your socks off" heat.

 DD> See tagline.

I did, and agree with it. I like to taste my food, not have my mouth
numbed by heat. A good heat will cover the whole mouth, not just parts
of it.

 DD>       Title: Jerry's Green Chile
 DD>  Categories: Stews, Pork, Chilies
 DD>       Yield: 12 Servings

 RH> Looks good but I think I'd leave out the cilantro. Steve can pick up
 RH> the taste of even just a small amount. I can take a bit of it, but my
 RH> tolerance level seems to be getting lower each year.

 DD> I make it with the soap-weed. It's not a lot and it helps balance the
 DD> flavours nicely.

Some people are more sensitive to it than others. The first time Steve
had it was in a salad--he thought they'd washed the greens in dishwater.

 DD> I made this chile verde at a cook-off once. I wasn't planning to do
 DD> verde but the organiser needed one more entry and asked me if I'd cook
 DD> a pot to make a contest. As I had most of what I needed (excepot the
 DD> tortillas) in my "possibles" box and could cadge the rest I agreed.
 DD> The clewless judges raised "Ned" over the beef in verde - but it was
 DD> within the rules. The public liked it.  Bv)=

Sometimes the people are smarter (have better taste) than the judges.
I've entered competitions where my chili didn't place, but the pot was
emptied out, and, in talking with people, they raved about my chili
being so much better than the prize winning one.

 DD>       Title: Beef Chile Verde
 DD>  Categories: Beef, Chilies, Potatoes, Breads
 DD>       Yield: 6 Servings


I might try a pork/verde version of my competition style chili chili
some time, just to compare it to the beef. For that, I use beef (have
also put elk and goat in it), peppers (any and every kind, some seeded,
some not), onion, tomato (usually pureed and/or diced) and spices
(always cumin and a bit of salt, others vary).


 DD> ... Chilies should be hot-enough-to-notice not
 hot-enough-to-destroy-you.

Good definition; that's what I try to achieve.


---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net  FIDO 1:396/45.28


.... OH NO!  Not ANOTHER learning experience!

--- PPoint 3.01
 * Origin: Sew! That's My Point (1:396/45.28)

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