Pork and Hominy Stew
Pozole, a hearty pork and hominy soup, is made all over Mexico with slight variations. You can turn this into pozole verde by replacing the tomatoes with tomatillos. Traditionally made with partially cooked and cleaned hominy (nixtamal), this quick version uses canned white hominy. The pozole is also delicious made with chicken in place of pork.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. corn oil or canola oil
- 1 lb. (500 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) pieces
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 Tbs. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 3 cups (24 fl. oz./750 ml) chicken stock
- 1 can (14 1/2 oz./455 g) diced fire-roasted tomatoes, with juices
- 1 can (15 oz./425 g) white hominy, rinsed and drained
- 1 jalapeño chile, seeded and diced
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For serving:
- Avocado slices
- Sliced green onions
- Lime wedges
- Corn tortillas, warmed (optional)
Directions
In a soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Working in batches, add the pork and sauté until opaque on all sides but not browned, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside.
Add the onion to the same pot over medium heat and sauté until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring to blend the spices, about 1 minute longer.
Add the stock, tomatoes, hominy, jalapeño and sautéed pork with any juices. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the pork is cooked through and the soup is fragrant, about 15 minutes.
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with the avocado slices and green onions; serve immediately with the lime wedges and warm tortillas alongside. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams Sonoma Rustic Mexican (Weldon Owen, 2017)