pork + red chile sauce

This is a great Mexican stew. The cornmeal adds a great texture and the roasted tomatoes and chipotles add a smoky flavor.

2 large plum tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 white onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pound lean pork shoulder, butt, or chops, cut into 1-inch cubes
Cornmeal for dredging, about 1/2 cup
6 ounces beer
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo sauce, plus some of the sauce
1 bay leaf
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

White rice, for serving

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and broil for about 8 minutes, until blackened. Set aside to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, transfer tomatoes to a blender and pulse until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a large stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic until translucent, stirring, about 8 minutes. Remove mixture and set aside.
4. In same pot, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Dredge pork in cornmeal, tapping off excess. Add to pot and brown pork on all sides (cook in batches if necessary as to not overcrowd in pot), turning occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and repeat if more batches are necessary.
5. Deglaze bottom of pan by adding half of beer, scraping up the brown bits on bottom of pot. Add remaining beer.
6. Return onion, garlic and pork to pot. Add cumin and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, chipotle, bay leaf, oregano and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until pork is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
7. Add cilantro and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve warm over rice.

Serves 2.