Chicharron de Puerco y Puerca

"Chicharron de puerco y puerca"  yelled a man on the streets. This man was selling chicharrones. Every afternoon he passed by my house pushing a small two wheeled cart full of fresh made chicharrones that smelled so good... mmm, I can almost taste them. 

Chicharrones are pork-rinds deep fried in their own fat. They are eaten in many Latin American countries as well as in Spain, the Philippines and Puerto Rico. In México we eat them as a crunchy, salty snack sprinkled with lemon or lime juice and hot sauce or in tacos and gorditas. My mom prepares a delicious breakfast dish called chicharrones en salsa verde.  Although I love meat I don't eat it too often. My husband is vegetarian and I only cook meat for myself once in a while. Today was a cold rainy day and I felt like eating comfort food so chicharrones would do it. 

You can get chicharrones by the pound at the meat counter of a Mexican grocery store. If you don't have access to the fresh made chicharrones you can buy the kind of pork-rinds sold in a bag; they will taste good too.

Chicharrones in Green Sauce

1 lb. tomatillos, husk removed and cleaned

5 serrano peppers 

2 garlic gloves

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely shopped

Salt to taste

1 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped 

1 lb. chicharrones (fried pork-rind), cut in small pieces

chicken broth or water (as needed)

On a cast iron griddle or skillet grill the tomatillos, serrano peppers and garlic.  In a blender or food processor, purée the grilled vegetables together with the cilantro until smooth. Add salt to taste. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion. Pour the puréed ingredients into saucepan and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Add chicken broth or water as needed. The sauce should be soupy. As soon as the sauce is boiling add the pieces of chicharron, cover and simmer for about 10 minute until the chicharron has adsorbed most of the sauce and it becomes soft. Serve hot accompanied with refried beans and tortillas or use to prepare tacos with flour tortillas.