Mission: El Metate Pork Chile Verde

(Picture nicked from skootersmexicanfoodblog. Thanks, Skooter!)

Although I haven't personally been to the Mission district in San Francisco (yet), I have heard a lot about the legendary burritos which are synonymous with the area. There is a constant debate as to which restaurant serves the best, but according to Chef Joanne Weir, El Metate is one of her favorites! El Metate, located at 2406 Bryant Street, opened it's doors in 2002. Interestingly enough, Joanne Weir's book, Weir Cooking in the City, published in 2004, makes a reference to El Metate and even offers a recipe for "Pork and Tomatillo Burritos." Could this recipe be El Metate's iconic pork chile verde? I'm not sure, but it is amazingly delicious!

This recipe is packed with fresh ingredients and produces a sweet, tangy chile verde that is quite addictive. I have adjusted the recipe by using freshly roasted tomatillos rather than canned ones, but I will include measurements for both, just in case fresh tomatillos are not available to you. This recipe requires browning the pork first, which can make for a greasy mess, so plan for that. In addition, from start to finish, it should take approximately 4 hours. So plan for that as well. And finally, I've never seen such colorful ingredients cook down to produce a very ugly looking mess. Perhaps that's why they stuff  it into a burrito? Either way, it is a personal favorite and I highly recommend you try it!

Pork and Tomatillo Burritos (El Metate?)

Serves 6 (You can also serve it as a soft taco filling.)

Ingredients:

For the Chile Verde:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2-3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

3 large green bell peppers, chopped (I hate green bell peppers! I think they are too bitter. I use 1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow bell pepper instead, chopped.)

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

3 cups canned tomatillos, seeded and chopped (I prefer 1 pound fresh tomatillos, papery skins removed, washed, and roasted under the broiler until slightly blackened, cut in half. I don't bother seeding them.)

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 cup water

For Serving:

6 large flour tortillas

6 lime wedges 

1/2 cup sour cream

1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced

3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

Fiery Green Salsa (recipe follows) (I prefer Rick Bayless's Roasted Tomato-Jalapeno Salsa, preferably home-made, or store bought.)

*Note: Rice and Beans are natural accompaniments

Directions:

For the Chile Verde:

Heat the oil in a large heavy casserole or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the pork cubes.

Add the pork in a single layer and brown on all sides, 10-12 minutes per batch. Do not overcrowd the pan. Remove the pork from the pan with a slotted spoon. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, bell peppers, and jalapenos and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and cumin and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomatillos, cilantro, and water.

Return the pork to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the pork is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Remove the cover and simmer until the sauce thickens and reduces to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. (In my experience, it takes way longer than 10 minutes!)

For Serving:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Wrap the tortillas tightly in aluminum foil. Heat them in the oven for 15 minutes until hot. One at a time, place one-sixth of the hot filling in the enter of each warm tortillas. Roll the tortillas to enclose the filling.

Place the burritos on a platter and garnish with the lime wedges. Pass with individual bowls of sour cream, avocado, scallions, and salsa alongside.

Fiery Green Salsa

Makes 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups tomatillos, chopped (fresh or canned)

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup minced red onion

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

If you are using fresh tomatillos, peel and wash them. Place them directly over the gas flame, on a charcoal grill, or in a heavy dry skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until blackened all over, 5-8 minutes. (I would just set them on a baking sheet under the broiler until blackened.) Chop the fresh or canned tomatillos.

In a bowl, stir together the tomatillos, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, and serrano. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipes adapted from Weir Cooking in the City, by Joanne Weir.