Garnishes take this hearty soup to a whole new level. Dried Mexican oregano, minced onion and cilantro along with squeezes of lime juice elevate this soup from basic to sublime.
Makes 6 servings
2 pounds pork shoulder
1 ½ cups chopped white or yellow onion
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 cups canned or frozen posole or hominy (white or yellow), rinsed and drained
3 cups chopped fresh or canned roasted red or green chiles, or 2 containers (14 ounces each) frozen red or green chiles, thawed
4 cups rich chicken, pork or vegetable broth or 2 cups stock plus 2 cups green enchilada sauce
3 bay leaves
Garnishes: dried Mexican oregano, finely chopped white or red onion, finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, lime wedges
Trim the fat from the pork shoulder and cut the meat into 1-inch pieces.
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, add several pieces of trimmed pork fat or 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Heat the fat until it renders enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add half the pork. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meat is brown on all sides. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan, reserving the meat and juices. Repeat to brown the rest of the meat.
Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and edges are golden. Stir in the garlic to release the aroma. Return remaining meat and juices to the pan. Add the pozole or hominy, green or red chile, stock and bay leaves.
Over high heat bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1-2 hours or until the pork is tender. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Garnish individual servings with oregano, onion and cilantro. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze into the soup.
Vegetarian: Substitute cooked pinto or black beans for pork and use vegetable broth.
Dotty Griffith is the author of THE TEXAS HOLIDAY COOKBOOK - Second Edition ©2013, Taylor Trade Publishing.
