2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 medium-large boiling potatoes, diced
1-1/2 cups chopped green chile – see note below
2-3 teaspoons chopped jalapenos (optional, to add more heat)
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup white vermouth
3-1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb (or pork), cut into bite-sized pieces
 

Heat oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven or stockpot, add the onion and garlic and cook over low heat for about five minutes.  Raise the heat slightly and add the cumin and black pepper.  Stir continually and cook until the onions become slightly browned.  Add oregano, potatoes, green chiles, the optional jalapenos, chicken broth, and the bite-sized pieces of meat.  Bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer (covered) for about 45 minutes. 

At this point, you can refrigerate the whole pot of stew; the following day, remove the top layer of fat. The flavors blend nicely over a day or two. (This also freezes very well and is easily thawed for quick meals.)

Serve hot in bowls with fresh flour tortillas, and dollops of sour cream, or top with shredded Monterey jack cheese.

(This is an adaptation of a recipe found in The Feast of Santa Fe by Huntley Dent.)
 

Note about Green Chile:

Jay uses one 2-pound package of frozen hot or very hot green chile, thawed, including the liquid. If you're using Bueno brand green chile, don't use all the liquid, and measure the chile to get 1.5 to 2 cups – they add a lot more water to their chile than other brands of frozen chile.

(Jay Harris, February, 2002)