Classic Pozole!

Time for a short break in the Thailand action. I'll get back to it tomorrow but I really wanted to share this Pozole recipe before Spring sprouts and the thought of warm, tummy satisfying soups has been replaced by sunnier thoughts of the beach and the family BBQ.

I blogged about another Pozole recipe I liked a while back and it is great. The best thing about that recipe was that it was quick and what with our busy schedules, quick is a good thing.

This recipe will take more time, but I assure you it is well worth that time. It is deeply satisfying. I served this at two separate dinner parties recently and as my wife put it, everyone thought

it was "lay your head on the table" good. It comes from the Cafe at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona as reprinted in the January 2012 issue of Bon Appetit magazine except I have made one important change which is the cooking method for the pork. I cut it up ahead of time and saute it. Instead of it being pulled-style pork it is in chunks. It cuts down on the cooking time by several hours and the pork is caramelized all over the little pieces instead of just the outside of the shoulder. Quicker and I like it better.

We served it with our "best cornbread you'll ever eat" recipe also written about in this blog, a green salad with lots of nummies including homemade croutons, nuts, blue cheese, sliced apple and, of course, a homemade dressing. I NEVER use store bought salad dressings. They are

an abomination to any salad. So easy and quick to make and no odd after taste from any of the myriad unnatural ingredients--xantam gum, Polysorbate 60, Potasium Sorbate, EDTA (whatever the hell that is and you probably don't want to know), Caramel Color (sounds innocuous enough except that it contains 4-methylimidazole, a known cancer causing agent).

I'll write a future blog and show you just how easy it really is and then you can judge for yourself.

So, back to our Pozole!

The recipe makes enough for 8-10 servings. I serve it with bowls of sour cream, sliced limes, minced shallot or red onion and chopped, fresh cilantro. Diners can doctor it up to their own liking.

The Ingredients:

For the pork--

1 T ground cumin

1 t garlic powder

1 t smoked paprika

1 2-pound boneless pork shoulder, with much of the fat removed and cut into 1-inch chunks

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1/2 red onion, sliced

2 T vegetable oil

For the Pozole--

1/4 c vegetable oil

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 plum tomatoes, diced

6 cups of chicken broth

1 28 oz. can undrained pinto beans

1 28 oz. can white hominy, drained

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with juices pureed in blender until smooth

1 T oregano

2 t ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pork--

In a medium enameled Dutch oven, add oil and heat up pan. Add pork chunks, stirring until browned all over. As he pork is browning add cumin, garlic powder and smoked paprika into dutch oven. Continue to stir the pork is well coated. Continue cooking until the pork is caramelized.

Set aside the pork and in the same dutch oven, add oil and over medium heat add onion and saute until translucent. Add garlic and stir often until fragrant. Add the diced fresh tomatoes and cook until softened. Stir in broth and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Add pork and any juices that may have collected. Continue to simmer until the pork is tender.

Now, I let it cool and refrigerate it over night. The next day, when you are about ready for dinner, take out the Pozole and reheat it on the stove top. Overnight the flavors have m

arried and done some really naughty things in that darkened fridge! The Pozole is richer and more flavorful.

Serve it up in bowls toped with any one of the ingredients I spoke about earlier. It looks fabulous and tastes even better. This recipe easily doubles. Just cook it up in a larger Dutch oven and you've a got a fiesta for a real crowd!