Guest Chef Aniedra Nichols’ Pork Stew with Green Chile Grits & Radish Slaw

In honor of our 25th birthday, we’ve invited guest chefs from top local restaurants to create a meal for Project Angel Heart clients. This week, we created a recipe penned by Aniedra Nichols, chef and managing partner at the much-anticipated Fish N Beer (set to open later this month) and previous executive chef at Elway’s Cherry Creek. With the opening of her restaurant right around the corner, and our chefs preparing for A Taste for Life, Nichols wasn’t able to make it to the Project Angel Heart kitchen to prepare the recipe herself- but our chefs and volunteers had fun creating her pork stew with green chile grits & radish slaw!

Here’s Nichols’ recipe for Project Angel Heart clients. Scroll down for a version that makes six servings so you can try it at home!

Pork Stew with Green Chile Grits & Radish Slaw

Serves about 1,200
by Aneidra Nichols, Fish N Beer Chef & Managing Partner

Stew

• 400 lbs pork shoulder, cubed
• 150 lbs yellow onions, julienned
• 50 lbs carrots, chopped
• 5 lbs garlic, minced
• 1 cup cumin, ground
• 1/2 cup coriander, ground
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup black pepper
• 12 gallons chicken stock

Green Chile Grits

• 60 lbs grits
• 16 gallons chicken stock
• 8 gallons milk
• 5 lbs butter
• 50 lbs green chiles, diced
• 2 cups kosher salt
• 1 cup black pepper

Cabbage & Radish Slaw

• 2 cups canola oil
• 300 lbs green cabbage, julienned
• 25 lbs radishes, julienned
• 50 limes, juiced
• 6 cups cilantro, chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste

In a hot tilt skillet, sear the pork on all sides. Add the onions and cook until translucent, then add the carrots and cook for five more minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper and stir. Add chicken stock, cover, and cook until pork is nice and tender.

Meanwhile, in another tilt skillet, bring the chicken stock and milk to a rolling boil. Add the grits and stir frequently so they don’t stick to the bottom of the skillet. Once the grits are tender, add the butter and green chiles, and season to taste with salt and pepper. The grits should be nice and creamy.

For the slaw: heat the oil in a skillet, add the cabbage, and cook for three minutes. Add the radishes, then cook for another 1.5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Diet Modifications:

• For those who are living with renal issues or require low acid, we omit the green chiles from the grits.
• For those who are sensitive to spice and/or strong flavors, we omit the chiles and radishes, and make a simple stew with just pork, carrots, chicken stock, salt, and water.
• For those who require low salt, we omit the salt.
• For those who do not eat pork, we substitute chicken.

Pork Stew with Green Chile Grits & Radish Slaw

Serves 6
by Aneidra Nichols, Fish N Beer Chef & Managing Partner

Stew

• 4 lbs pork shoulder, cubed
• 1 cup yellow onions, julienned
• 2 cups carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp cumin, ground
• 1 tsp coriander, ground
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black peppe
• 4 cups chicken stock

Green Chile Grits

• 1 cup grits
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 4oz can green chiles, diced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Cabbage & Radish Slaw

• 1/2 head of cabbage, julienned
• 4 small radishes, julienned
• 1 to 2 limes, juiced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a hot saute pan, sear the pork on all sides. Add the onions and cook until translucent, then add the carrots and cook for five more minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper and stir.

Transfer the pork to a baking dish, and cover with the satueed vegetables and chicken stock. Cover the pan with foil and place in the oven for one to one and a half hours, or until the pork is nice and tender.

Meanwhile, in a sauce pot, bring the chicken stock and milk to a rolling boil. Add the grits and stir frequently so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Once the grits are tender, add the butter and green chiles, and season to taste with salt and pepper. The grits should be nice and creamy.

For the slaw: heat some canola oil in a skillet, add the cabbage, and cook for three minutes. Add the radishes, then cook for another 1.5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon some grits on the bottom of a large bowl, scoop some pork stew over the grits, and top with the cabbage and radish slaw. Enjoy!