As I mention above, there are some substitutions you can make if you don't have all the ingredients as written. Once made, this keeps well for a few days in the fridge. It does not freeze well, however.
1cupwhite onion, minced(yellow onion is fine, too)
2chopped serrano chiles,or similar hot green chiles
3clovesgarlic, minced
3tablespoonsflour
1/2teaspoondried oregano,Mexican if possible
1cuproasted, seeded and chopped green chiles,Hatch, Anaheim, poblano or similar
Salt and black pepper to taste
Masa Cakes
2cupsmasa harina
1/2teaspoon salt
1tablespoonlard or butter
1cupshredded jack, Oaxaca or colby cheese
1 1/2cupshot water
Instructions
To Make the Green Chile Squirrel
Simmer the squirrels in the broth until tender. This can take a couple hours. Pull all the meat off the bones and shred. Set aside and reserve the broth.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the lard. When it's hot, saute the onion for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and the chopped serrano chiles and saute another 2 minutes, again stirring occasionally.
Add the flour and mix well. Turn the heat to medium and cook this, stirring frequently, until the flour browns, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano and chopped green chiles and mix well, then add about 2 cups of the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring to incorporate each time. Bring this to a simmer and add the shredded squirrel, plus salt and black pepper to taste. Let this simmer gently while you make the masa cakes.
Masa Cakes
Mix the masa and salt. Add the lard, then mix it well into the masa with your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Mix in the shredded cheese. Pour in the hot water -- it should be steaming, hot enough to be unpleasant, but workable with your bare hands. Mix well and knead into a dough. Pinch off golf ball-sized pieces and work them into balls. Set inside a plastic bag for about 20 minutes.
Get enough vegetable oil hot in a frying pan to cover the masa cakes, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. You want the oil to be no cooler than 325F and no hotter than 350F.
While the oil is heating up, press the masa balls into thickish gordita-like cakes about 1/4 inch thick. Do this by hand, as it will prevent you from making the cakes to thin; if you do, they will often pillow up, develop gaps inside which will fill with hot oil. If that happens, it's OK but not ideal.
Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet in your oven and turn it to "warm." Fry your masa cakes for about 3 minutes per side, or until nicely golden. Keep them warm in the oven as you work through the batches.
To serve, drag a masa cake through the green chile squirrel to get it wet with the sauce. Set these down on people's plates. Ladle some stew on top and serve with pico de gallo and maybe some sour cream and crumbled cheese.