Behold! Winter Comfort Food! Posole!

 

The best looking photo? Nope. Tasty as all get-out? Yup!

 

This is posole, a red chile (yes. With an "e") pork and hominy stew that I associate with winter comfort food. It is best served with a wedge or two of lemon, a sprinkle of oregano, and a small mince of fresh onion on top. And it is delicious. The first time I made this I cooked it far too long and ended up with very good smelling but awfully textured pork-flavored hominy mush. Vile. Much better this time.

So, since the last time I did this I got requests for the recipe, allow me to typeity it down here:

 

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New Mexican Posole (Or Pozole if you prefer)

1-2 pounds frozen uncooked posole corn which is nixtimalized hominy corn (or dried hominy in a pinch). More gives you stew, less gives you soup. I suggest 1.)

2-3 pounds pork butt, chunked bite sized with bone reserved (that's shoulder, about 1.5 to 2 pounds-ish with a bone to make up the rest)

1 or 2 16 oz tubs of  frozen red chile puree (I used mild and only one because I couldn't find medium and I'm too much of a pansy to use hot. I think I'd use two next time)

1 gallon-ish water (enough to top off the pot. Pork stock is best, but not usually at hand)

1.5 medium onions, chopped (with half reserved and minced for topping)

6 cloves of garlic, minced (at least. I used much more of the freeze-dried variety)

2 Tbs. Better than Bouillon Beef flavor (since I wasn't using pork stock)

1 tsp dried oregano (plus more for sprinkling)

1 Tbs. salt (to taste)

1 fresh lemon for garnish (just trust me)

1. Combine corn, pork and bone, chile sauce, and water in a big pot, or at least enough water to fill the pot comfortably. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Add in onions, garlic, bouillon, oregano and cook for 1 hour.

3. Add salt to taste.

4. Serve with reserved raw onion, lemon wedges, and a sprinkle of dried oregano. 

4.5 Do not burn your mouth on scalding hot hominy. Repeat.

Can be frozen, which is good since this makes an entire monster pot worth.

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So make it. If you like red chile and pork, give it a try. If you don't? Try someone else's first so you don't have a gallon and a half of soup hanging around. If you can't find the corn or chile, try your closest Mexican market in the frozen section. I recommend Bueno brand.