Rick Bayless Seared Pork Chops with Roasted Poblano, Tomatillo & Nopal Cactus

RECIPE 👉 www.rickbayles...
These are truly classic flavors from the heart of Mexico: pork, green chile, tomatillo, cactus. In most of Mexico’s kitchen, the pork is braised pork shoulder, giving the dish a rich stew-like satisfaction, especially when the shoulder is enhanced with little 2-inch pieces of pork ribs. Here, I’ve dressed things up a bit by featuring pork chops, giving the dish a company-worthy presentation. And the cactus? Of course it can be left out or replaced by potatoes or practically any other vegetable that can be reduced to 1-inch pieces and simmered in the sauce. But this is a great place to get to know them. Their flavor and texture blend perfectly with the sauce and may just spark some interesting conversation at the table. I really love this dish with rustic mashed potatoes (I add a handful of peeled-and-halved garlic cloves to cook with the potatoes), made from red- or white-skin boiling (not baking) potatoes. Rice is also welcome.