New Mexican Pozole

Categories: Entree, Pork

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds dried hominy (posole), available in Latino groceries, soaked overnight in cold water
• 3 ounces dried red New Mexico chiles (about 10 large chiles)
• 2 pounds fresh pork belly, cut in 2-inch cubes
• 2 pounds pork shoulder, not too lean, cut in 2-inch chunks
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved and stuck with 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted until fragrant and coarsely ground
• 2 cups finely diced white onion, soaked in ice water, for garnish
• Lime wedges
• Roughly chopped cilantro, for garnish
• Toasted Mexican oregano, for garnish

Directions

1. Drain soaked hominy and put in large soup pot. Cover with water and bring to boil. Let simmer briskly for 1 hour.

2. While hominy is cooking, make red chile purée: Toast dried chiles lightly in cast-iron skillet or stovetop grill, just until fragrant. Wearing gloves, slit chiles lengthwise with paring knife. Remove and discard stems and seeds. Put chiles in saucepan and cover with 4 cups water. Simmer 30 minutes and let cool. In blender, purée chiles to a smooth paste using some cooking water as necessary. Purée should be of milkshake consistency.

3. Season pork belly and pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper. After posole has cooked 1 hour, add pork shoulder, pork belly, onion stuck with cloves, bay leaf, garlic and cumin. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches, then return to a brisk simmer. While adding water occasionally and tasting broth for salt, simmer for about 2 1/2 hours more, until meat is tender and posole grains have softened and burst. Skim fat from surface of broth.

4. Stir in 1 cup chile purée and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning. (At this point, posole can be cooled completely and reheated later. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.)

5. To serve, ladle posole, meat and broth into wide bowls. Pass bowls of diced onion, lime wedges, cilantro and oregano, and let guests garnish to taste.

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