INGREDIENTS
4 onions, quartered
8 Roma tomatoes, whole
3 quarts tomatillos, whole
3 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
8 cloves garlic
4 Serrano chiles, stems removed
4 Guajillo chilies, warmed over a flame, deseeded and chopped
4 Ancho chilies, warmed over a flame, deseeded and chopped
6 quarts vegetable broth (possibly more)
1 bunch thyme, leaves picked
salt and pepper, to taste
5 lbs. potatoes, peeled and 2” diced
10 carrots, peeled and odd-cut for stew
4 Chayote squash, 2” diced
3 lbs. green beans cut in half
A little browned all purpose flour
3 bunches cilantro, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Make a flavorful vegetable broth ahead of time (ideally the day before or earlier the same day) using onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf and garlic.
- In a rondeaux (or in a sheet pan in the oven) scorch the onions, tomatillos and Roma tomatoes until they are lightly blackened. Place the onion, tomatoes, tomatillos, red peppers, garlic, Serranos, Guajillo, and Ancho chiles in a pot with enough vegetable broth to just cover the vegetables and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the skin is coming off the tomatoes and peppers and everything has softened, 10-15 minutes. Move solid ingredients to a food processor, add a little of the liquid, and purée well. Add more liquid once pureed to create a nice thick – but soupy – sauce.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium flame. Add the onion-tomato-chile purée and thyme leaves and bring to a simmer stirring until the purée is cooked down and darkens somewhat in color, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as you desire. Do not allow to burn. Add more broth if needed.
- Stir in the potatoes, carrots and chayote squash, and a little extra broth or water if needed, and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sauté the green beans in a little oil and salt until they are lightly charred and almost cooked-through, then add them to the stew.
- Stir in the browned AP flour to thicken the sauce, then stir in the chopped cilantro, adjust seasonings, and serve hot.
Serve with refried black beans, rice pilaf, and spicy slaw.