Posole (Pozole)
Serves 10 to 12.
By Dennis W. Viau; modified from several recipes.
Posole is a rich and hearty soup, filled with the flavor of onions and tomatoes. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, lime wedges, and/or a dollop of sour cream.
This soup can be as easy or as complicated as you want. For the video I chose some fresh ingredients, but feel free to buy canned ingredients for convenience.
Ingredients:
1½ to 2 pounds (680 to 900g) boneless pork should meat, trimmed of excess fat
1 large red onion (divided)
5 cloves garlic (divided)
10 whole peppercorns
Salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
Optional: 2 to 3 fresh chile peppers, such as Anaheim, Poblano, and/or Chilaca (Pasilla)
2 to 3 tablespoons oil
2 fresh Roma tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
5 cups (1.2 liters) chicken stock or broth, preferably low sodium
1 28-ounce (800g) can pinto beans, with the liquid
For dry beans, see below.
1 28-ounce (800g) can hominy, drained
1 28-ounce (800g) can crushed tomatoes, with the juices
1 tablespoon of dried oregano flakes (or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped)
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
For Garnish: any or all of the following
Chopped cilantro
Shredded cheddar cheese
Lime wedges
Sour cream (not traditional, but a favorite of mine in soups like this)
Directions:
In a large pot place the pork pieces, half the onion, coarsely chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, crushed, peppercorns, bay leaves, and a generous pinch of salt. Add enough water to cover the meat. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer about 30 minutes until the pork is thoroughly cooked and tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until comfortable to handle. Remove the pork and shred with two forks or with your hands. Cover and set aside. Discard the liquid and solids.
Optional: Cut fresh chile peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. Brush the inside with olive oil and place, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Cook the peppers under the broiler until tender and the skin begins to brown and char, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and, using tongs, transfer the peppers to a ziplock bag. Allow to cool, then remove the skin from the peppers. Finely chop the peppers, place in a bowl, cover, and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pot and add the remaining half onion, diced. Sauté until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add three cloves of garlic, minced, and cook 1 minute. Add the fresh tomatoes and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, pinto beans, hominy, and canned tomatoes. Add the oregano and cumin.
Optional: Add 2 to 4 generous tablespoons of the diced roasted peppers.
Bring the pot to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the shredded pork. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring often.
Adjust for salt and pepper before serving. Serve garnished with any or all of the suggested garnishes.
If working with dry beans:
Rinse the beans well and pick through them to make certain there are no pebbles or other unwanted debris. Place the beans in a deep bowl with plenty of water in which is dissolved a tablespoon of salt. Soak for 8 hours, or overnight. Drain. Place the beans in a large pot and add unsalted water to cover. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, gently 1½ to 2½ hours until the beans are tender.
Alternately, the dry beans can be placed in a pressure cooker with enough water to fill the pan about a third full. Secure the lid and heat until the cooker reaches full pressure. Reduce the heat to maintain the optimum pressure and cook for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat and let the pot depressurize naturally. The beans will be cooked and tender, ready for use.
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