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

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SHALLOT/WINE REDUCTION

This recipe sounds fancy, but it's really quite simple. The pork tenderloins can be found pre-packaged, usuallly by Hormel; they come in a "log" shape. Look for the unflavored variety for this recipe. You can grill the pork instead of roasting in oven if you prefer, but be careful not to overcook it. Make the sauce while the pork is cooking so that the pork will not have to sit long after cooking.
My husband came up with this one. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat
2 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sweet white wine, such as Moscato or Chenin Blanc
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 tbls butter
2 tbls half-and-half (optional; can omit for a thinner sauce)

To cook pork:
Preheat oven to 375˚. Cut "log" of pork in half crosswise. (If necessary, hold pork together w/toothpicks or kitchen twine to maintain rounded shape.) Trim pork of fat, and pat dry with paper towels. Season with kosher salt & black pepper as desired. Roast pork, raised on a small rack, until internal temperature reaches 155˚ - 160˚ (approximately 20 minutes, but go by temperature rather than time). Meat should be opaque and slightly pink in center. Do not overcook pork; it will be cooked more by end of recipe. Slice tenderloin into medallions, about
1 - 11/2" thick. Set aside & keep warm.
Meanwhile, to make sauce:
Melt butter in medium-sized skillet over med-low heat. Saute shallots until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more. Add chicken stock, and increase heat. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a high simmer & cook until sauce is reduced by about half. Add wine & repeat process: Bring to boil, then lower heat & reduce by half again. Add half-and-half, & stir over low heat until heated through. Remove sauce to small bowl & keep warm, leaving a bit of sauce coating the skillet. Deglaze pan by stirring over low heat until sauce dries up a bit & leaves crusty bits in the pan.
Final assembly:
Brown pork medallions in deglazed pan (in batches, if necessary) for about 30 seconds per side. Pork should absorb bits of sauce from pan. Quickly place medallions on serving plates & drizzle with reserved sauce. Serve immediately.

PORK CUTLETS WITH WARM FLORENTINE BEAN SALAD

Makes 4 servings

2 tsp. olive oil, divided

1 lb. boneless pork cutlets

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced (or may use dried)

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

1 c. reduced sodium chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

6 oz. fresh spinach leaves (about 6 cups), washed and tough stems removed

1 Tbls. fresh minced basil

2 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork cutlets and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove pork from skillet and set aside.

Add remaining oil to skillet. Add garlic, onion and fennel and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are just crisp-tender.

Arrange pork over vegetables. Season with crushed red pepper, pepper, and salt. Add broth and beans. Cover and cook over medium heat, 2 minutes or until beans are hot and liquid is boiling. Add spinach and basil: cover and cook 2 to 4 minutes or just until spinach is wilted and pork is cooked to doneness and is slightly pink inside. (Do not overcook)

Spoon vegetables and pork into a deep platter. Blend lemon juice into remaining liquid in skillet then pour juices over pork and vegetables.

Recipe is from the Eating for Life in the Kansas City Star

CHICKEN AND CUCUMBER SALAD

1 large cucumber, shredded
2/3 C cooked chicken, shredded
1/3 C cooked ham, shredded
1 T hot mustard (optional)

Seasoning sauce:

1 1/2 T sesame seed paste (I substitute it with peanut butter)
2 T low sodium soy sauce
1 T vinegar
1 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1 T sesame oil

1. Peel the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise and discard seeds. Thinly slice it diagnally, then shred into about 1 1/2" long strips. Shred the cooked chicken and ham into the same lengths.
2. Place the shredded cucumber on platter. Layer with chicken and sprinkle ham on top.
3. Mix sesame seed paste with sesame oil, then add vinegar, sugar, salt, and soy sauce in a small bowl to make seasoning sauce.
4. Pour seasoning sauce and mustard over salad and mix well.

Serves 4 - 6.