Monday, December 11, 2006

Pozole!

I think I've posted this before, but what the hey: here's my favorite pozole recipe, with my additions in italics.



The secret to this soup is in the preparation of the chili paste which gives this Pozole it's characteristic color and flavor.

Here we prepare the paste with dried New Mexico chilies but feel free to experiment with Ancho, Guajillo and Cascabel chilies too.


Rinse and remove the stem end and seeds from:

8 to 10 dried New Mexico chilies, hot, mild or a combination of the two

Add chilies to a large bowl and cover with:

3 cups of boiling water

Submerge chilies in the bowl with a small plate and set aside for 30 to 45 minutes.


While the chilies are soaking, add to a large stock pot and sauté until translucent:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small onion

4 cloves of garlic, minced

Add:

1 to 2 pounds pork stew meat, cubed
I usually use shoulder meat. I give it a chance to brown a bit before adding the chicken stock.

chicken or vegetable stock, to cover 3-4 regular cans.

Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until the pork is tender.

Add chilies to a blender and process along with just enough soaking liquid to produce a smooth puree, then pass the puree through a fine screen to remove any skin pieces and seeds.


Add to the stock pot:

the chile paste

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 28 ounce cans white hominy, drained

Simmer until done, 30 to 45 minutes.

I puree in a food processor and stir back in a couple of cups of the soup to thicken.

Serve with:
finely diced white onion and cilantro
shredded cabbage
crushed red pepper flakes

I include slices of lime (squeezed into the soup), tortillas, and Mexican beer. In the past I've also had sour cream and/or a hard Mexican parmesan-like cheese (I forget the exact type). No side dishes are necessary, as the soup is hearty in the extreme.



Here's a link to the original site where I found this recipe.  

No comments: