food
GREEN CHILE STEW
TRUE GRIT CONNECTION Recipe by Kelly McGuire | Photos by Kitty Nicholason
W
38
hen I was told that the theme for
As I looked through the recipe book that
the magazine this fall was “gather,”
Barbara sent me, I noticed that there was a
I immediately thought of the many family
recipe for Green Chile Stew from the True Grit
gatherings that I had as a child. My uncle Stretch
cafe. I asked my mom, “Hey, didn’t Stretch work
(Dan McGirr) frequently cooked at family
at the True Grit for a long time?” The answer
gatherings. On more than one occasion, he
was yes, for many years he was the cook. I was
cooked up a big pot of green chile stew.
so excited to try this recipe and see if it was the
green chile stew from my childhood. It was!
It’s a funny story really, how I ended up
with this recipe. You see, my Aunt Barbara (my
stepfather’s sister) sent me this cookbook with
pared down so that we don’t make enough for a
recipes from Ridgway about five years ago.
restaurant, was what I remembered — and it’s
Around the same time, I inherited — from my
perfect for a quick, but delicious, family gathering.
uncle Stretch — a bunch of cookbooks, a big
metal bowl and a well-used chef’s knife missing
another hour to cook. Have a margarita while
the very tip.
everyone is waiting. :
This recipe, taken from that cookbook and
It takes about 30 minutes to prepare and
