Stephen Ceideburg 5 lg Ripe tomatoes (2 1/2 pounds)

3 Garlic cloves, each cut into

thirds 2 Chipotle chiles abobado (see

note) 2 ts Olive oil

2 md Onions

1/2 lb Very lean bulk Mexican

chorizo sausage 2 tb Apple cider vinegar

2 tb Brown sugar

1/2 ts Salt

2 ts Adobo juice from can of

chipotles 1/2 Cinnamon stick

1/4 ts Ground cloves

Shredded roast pork or chicken (see recipes) 1 Ripe avocado, thinly sliced,

for garnish 1 Red onion, sliced into

rings, for garnish

Serve this as a stew with steamed white or brown rice. Accompany with avocado and onion slices. Tinga is also good served in warmed, scooped out French rolls or bolillos (Mexican rolls). You can add avocado slices, onion and a mild white cheese such as Jack to the sandwich. With a glass of icy beer and a salad, you have everything you need. Put tomatoes on a jelly roll pan and place about 8 inch inches under a preheated broiler. Broil until tomato skins turn brownish, about 10 minutes. Peel, cut in half horizontally and squeeze out seeds. Place tomatoes in a food processor along with garlic and chipotle chiles. Chop into a coarse puree. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes until softened. Remove and set aside Using

the same skillet, fry the chorizo until well cooked. If the sausage is fatty, drain on paper towels and wipe out skillet. Return the sausage and onion to skillet and add the tomato chipotle mixture along with vinegar, sugar, salt, adobo juice and spices. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the shredded pork or chicken, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes to blend flavors. If the mixture seems dry, add 1/2 cup broth or water. To Serve: Serve as a spicy stew with steamed rice. Or use as a filling for Mexican bolillos: Cut rolls in half and pull out some of the soft crumbs. Pile onion rings and avocado slices into the halves, then spoon on the tinga. Note: Chipotles are sold in 8 ounce cans labeled "chipotles adobados." They are found in Mexican grocery stores and in the ethnic sections of some supermarkets. PER SERVING (with pork). 430 calories, 40 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 21 7 g fat (5 g saturated), 118 mg

cholesterol, 758 mg sodium, 5 g fiber. PER SERVING (with chicken): 430 calories, 37 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 22 g fat (5 g saturated), 104 g cholesterol, 932 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.

Jacquiline Higuera McMahan writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 12/18/91. Posted by Stephen Ceideburg