Amalia Moreno-Damgaard shares a recipe from Guatamalan cuisine.

3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 pound pork loin, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken stock
1 small whole onion, peeled and t-scored
1/2 cup unchopped cilantro (stems and leaves included)
1 cup quartered Roma tomatoes (about 2 large tomatoes)
1/2 cup husked, quartered tomatillos (3 to 4 large tomatillos)
1 small yellow onion, cut into thick slices
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 guaque (guajillo) chile, seeded
1 zambo (mulato) chile, seeded
Para Espesar (Thickeners)
Choose 1 of the following:  2 corn tortillas blackened in toaster oven to medium brown, soaked in hot stock for 10 minutes or 2 tablespoons instant corn masa flour, browned in a dry pan over medium-low heat until medium brown
2 tablespoons white rice, browned in a dry pan over medium-low heat until medium brown, then soaked in cold water 10 minutes
1 tablespoon canola oil
Sazón (Seasonings)
1 tablespoon ground pan-roasted pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon ground pan-roasted sesame seeds
1/8 teaspoon ground canela (Ceylon cinnamon) (optional)
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup loosely packed, finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup small cubes of potatoes, cooked al dente
1/2 cup fresh green beans cut into 1-inch pieces, cooked al dente
1/2 cup carrots sliced on the diagonal, cooked al dente
1/2 cup güisquil (chayote squash) cut into 1-inch cubes, cooked al dente

Adorno (Garnish)

Cilantro leaves, whole or finely chopped

1. In a medium pot, cook the chicken and pork in the stock with the onion and cilantro over low heat until the chicken and pork are tender (20 to 30 minutes). Remove and reserve the onion and the cilantro. Set aside the pot of chickenpork, and stock.

2. Heat the skillet for 2 minutes over medium heat and add the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, and garlic. Adjust the heat to medium-low and pan roast the vegetables until they’re charred all over and mushy (about 8 minutes).

3. Separately, pan roast the chiles over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes. Keep a close eye on the chiles, as they burn easily. Then soak the roasted chiles in 1 cup of very hot water for 10 minutes.

4. Combine the roasted vegetables, the reserved onion and cilantro, the soaked chiles, half the soaking water, and 3/4 cup of the hot stock in a blender. Add the thickener and purée to a fine consistency. The purée should look smooth and velvety.

5. Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the purée and seasonings. Add the 1 cup of finely chopped cilantro. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add the sauce to the pot of chicken, pork, and stock. Add the al dente vegetables and stir. Simmer covered to blend the flavors (about 15 minutes). The sauce should be medium thin—about the consistency of steak sauce. If the sauce is too thin, cook the stew a bit longer to thicken it. If the sauce is too thick, add more stock or water. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.

6. Serve the stew garnished with cilantro.