Lentils With Chilies, Pork, And Fruit

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Grains, Meats	Mexican	Beans/peas, Chili, Ham/pork, Mexico	4	Servings

INGREDIENTS

		Jim Vorheis
1/2	lb	1 heaped cup lentils
		brown if available
1/2		White onion
		Sea salt to taste
		The pork:
1	lb	Boneless stewing pork, cut
		into 1-inch cubes
		Sea salt to taste
		The seasoning and final
		cooking:
5		Chilies anchos, cleaned of
		veins and seeds and
		Lightly toasted
1/4	lb	Tomatoes, broiled
1		Garlic clove, peeled and
		roughly chopped
1/4	t	Dried oregano, Mexican if
		possible
1		Whole clove
1 1/2		Inch cinnamon stick
1	T	Melted lard or safflower oil
1		Plantain, about 8-oz
		peeled and cut into
1/4		Inch cubes
2		Thick pineapple slices
		peeled cored and cut
		into
		Small triangular wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

The lentils: Run the lentils through your hands to make sure there  are
no stones or other foreign bodies in them. Rinse them in two  changes
of water and put into a pan. Add onion, salt to taste, and  enough
water to come about 2 inches above the surface of the lentils.  Set
over medium heat and bring to a fast simmer. Continue simmering  until
the lentils are quite soft ~ about 3 hours, depending on their  age.
Keep a pan of near-boiling water on the side, ready to add if
necessary.  Put the pork pieces into a pan; add salt to taste and water
to cover.  Bring to a fast simmer and continue simmering until the pork
is  tender but not soft - about 25 minutes. Strain, reserving the
broth,  and set broth and meat aside.  Cover the dried chilies with
boiling water and leave to soak for  about 15 minutes, until the
chilies have softened and become fleshy.  Drain and put into a blender
with 1 cup of the reserved pork broth,  the broiled tomatoes, garlic,
oregano, clove, and cinnamon; blend  until smooth, adding more broth
only if needed to release the blades  of the blender.  Heat the lard in
a small frying pan, add the blended ingredients, and  fry over medium
heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan,  until reduced and
well seasoned - about 4 minutes. Add to the lentils  and add the pork,
remaining broth, plantain, and pineapple; simmer  together for about 30
minutes. Adjust salt and add water if  necessary. The mixture should be
like a thick soup.  The Art of Mexican Cooking From the collection of
Jim Vorheis  File
ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/mmdja006.zip

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