Pork Chile Verde with Mexican Rice and Cheesy Corn

Cut the pork shoulder into 1-inch cubes.

In a large bowl, season the pork cubes generously with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix well to coat.

Heat lard in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork in batches until well-browned on all sides. Remove the pork and set aside.

In a dry cast-iron skillet over high heat, char the tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeños, half of the white onion, and garlic cloves until blistered and blackened in spots. Work in batches if necessary.

Transfer the charred tomatillos and garlic to a blender. Add the chicken stock and blend until smooth.

Remove the stems and seeds from the charred peppers. Add the peppers and charred onion to the blender and blend again until fully incorporated.

Pour the sauce into a large bowl or back into the blender. Add the lime juice, chicken bouillon powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, and fresh cilantro. Blend one last time until the sauce is smooth and vibrant green.

Deglaze the Dutch oven with a splash of stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Pour in the blended green sauce.

Return the seared pork to the pot, add the bay leaves, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 2-3 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender.

While the chile verde simmers, prepare the rice. In a blender, combine the Roma tomatoes, quarter onion, 2 cloves of garlic, water, tomato bouillon, and chicken bouillon. Blend until smooth.

Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and toast, stirring frequently, until lightly golden.

Strain the tomato mixture into the saucepan with the rice. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fluffy.

For the corn casserole, lightly oil the ears of corn and char them in a dry cast-iron skillet until blistered.

Once cool enough to handle, cut the corn kernels off the cobs.

In the same skillet, sauté the corn kernels with diced red onion and diced jalapeño for 3-4 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the mayonnaise, most of the shredded cheese, and chopped cilantro. Season with paprika and chili powder and mix well.

Top the corn mixture with the remaining cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Garnish the baked corn casserole with fresh cilantro and sliced jalapeños.

To serve, plate the Mexican rice, top with the pork chile verde, and add a scoop of the cheesy corn casserole. Garnish with pico de gallo if desired.