Book of Days Tales

Today is St Patrick’s Day, of course, and I have covered Irish recipes in previous posts. The 3^rd Monday in March is also the celebration of Benito Juárez, president of Mexico from 1858 to 1872, and noted for being the first indigenous president of any country in the Americas. He was born to a poor Zapotec family in Oaxaca and rose to prominence as a military commander and lawyer.

Oaxacan cooking amounts to what people in the US count as Mexican cooking in general, in large part because of its moles – negro and verde. Here is a chicken dish with mole verde.

Ingredients

3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 lbs chicken, cut into pieces
1 ½ tbsp dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, peeled and sliced
10 fresh tomatillos, husks removed
½ bunch cilantro
2 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1 lime, juiced
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the chicken, and season with oregano, minced garlic, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the chicken is lightly browned. Stir in the onion, then cover and reduce heat to low.

Place the tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, whole garlic, lime juice, and salt in a blender or food processor, and pulse to a chunky consistency. Pour half of the tomatillo mixture over the chicken. Continue simmering until the chicken is tender, 35 to 40 minutes more. Serve with the remaining sauce and top with Monterey Jack cheese.