Friday, March 30, 2012

POSOLE

If you have never had Posole (also called Pozole), do yourself a favor and give this a try.  I had heard of Posole, but I had never tried it.  I have since learned that there are about as many recipes for this hearty, Mexican main-course soup as there are cooks!  It is traditionally served at Christmastime, but it was such a hit that it will be made year-round in our home from now on.

Posole is made with pork (or sometimes chicken) and hominy. There is also Posole Rojo, made with tomatoes and/or chili peppers, giving it a red color.  I tried it both ways and preferred the following version.  Posole is often served with such garnishes as chopped lettuce, radishes, onion, cheese, lime wedges, and cilantro, which individuals can add to their dish as they please. 

You can cook the pork right in the soup; that's how I made it the first time.  However, if you pre-cook the pork in a slow cooker or roast it in the oven, it cooks up so incredibly tender and flavorful that it literally shreds itself.  It was so easy, and I will definitely only make it this way in the future.

You will not use all of the pork for this recipe, but it is hard to find really small cuts of pork shoulder.  The leftover pork is delicious in soft tacos or simply on its own. Of course, you can always freeze the leftover pork for your next batch of Posole.

Ingredient notes:  Mexican oregano really does taste different than standard oregano; I would describe it as having an almost lemony quality.  It has a distinctive flavor that is central to this dish.  I found it at the small Mexican market, La Tienda Chiquita, in Liberty.


PORK
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 2-lb boneless pork shoulder
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 275˚, or preheat slow-cooker.  Trim fat from pork.  I cut the pork into 4 chunks to reduce cooking time.  Mix spices, sprinkle over pork, and rub spices into surface.  Pour water over pork; cover.  Roast pork in oven 5-6 hours until extremely tender.  Or, place in slow cooker on medium.  I cooked mine in a slow cooker, and it was done in about 4 hours.  Check the pork every hour or so as it is cooking, adding more water if needed.
Drain pork, reserving pork broth.  Refrigerate broth. Discard fat solids after they rise to the top.  Use remaining broth in Posole.  
If pork has not already fallen apart, shred it into bite-size pieces using two forks.  You will need 3/4 lb of the cooked pork for the Posole; reserve the remainder for another use.

POSOLE
1/2 tbls olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
1 tbls Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 cans low-sodium chicken broth (substitute the broth from cooking the pork for some of the chicken broth)
2 cans yellow hominy, drained
2 to 4 oz (to taste) canned green chilies--do not drain 
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until transparent, 5-7 minutes.  Stir in garlic, cumin, Mexican oregano, and black pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds-1 minute.  Stir in broth.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Add hominy, chilies, and tomatoes. Bring soup back to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.  Cover and keep warm if not ready to serve.  When ready to serve, stir pork into soup, and simmer 3 minutes more. Ladle soup into bowls, and serve with garnishes.  Warm corn tortillas served on the side are delicious with this soup.

Optional Garnishes
chopped lettuce
radishes
onion
shredded cheese
lime wedges
cilantro

Thursday, March 1, 2012

LEMON CHICKEN ORZO SOUP

This recipe is inspired by a soup of the same name at Panera Bread.  This version is a bit heartier, with more chicken and veggies.  The lemon really brightens the flavor, and it is quick to put together.  Very yummy!


1/2 tbls olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
2 stalks celery, sliced (about 2 cups)
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
11/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tbls fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tbls dried basil)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10-12 ounces)
2 oz orzo (about 1/2 cup)
Juice of 2 medium lemons
1/2 tsp salt
Thinly sliced lemon, for garnish


Heat olive oil in stockpot over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion and cook until transparent, about 5-10 minutes.  
Add remaining ingredients, except lemon juice.  Heat soup over high heat until it just starts to boil.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.  
Remove chicken breasts from pot.  Shred chicken and return to pot.  Add lemon juice and salt.  
Ladle into individual bowls, and garnish each with a very thin slice of lemon.