Shortcut Posole
Posole is a slow-simmered Mexican stew traditionally made with pork and hominy. This version calls for rich, homemade poultry stock and can be made as mild or spicy as you want.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
1 lb. ground pork (see notes)
1 cup finely chopped white onion
2 to 3 jalapeños, minced (see notes)
1 heaping Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
Salt and pepper
3 1/2 to 4 cups homemade chicken stock, divided
1 large can (about 20 ounces) white hominy, drained
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 to 2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (see notes)
2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped cilantro
Toppings (use any or all): Coarsely chopped cilantro, crumbled feta cheese, thin-sliced Beauty Heart radishes, thin-sliced white onions, cubed avocados, oregano, red pepper flakes
Directions
Heat a large, heavy pot over high flame for a minute or two. Add a little of the oil, swirl to coat bottom of pot and heat another moment or two.
Add pork and brown it well, breaking it up as it cooks. Transfer pork to a strainer to drain.
Reduce heat to medium, add remaining oil to pot; heat briefly. Add onions, jalapeños and garlic, plus some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of the stock and bring to a strong simmer, stirring and scraping up bits on bottom of pot. Keep cooking until most of the liquid is gone.
Add pork, hominy, cumin, oregano, pepper flakes and remaining stock. Bring to simmer; reduce heat to very low and partially cover pot. Simmer posole slowly for 10 to 20 minutes.
Add more salt and pepper as needed. Stir in cilantro, turn off the heat, and let posole cool an hour or so to develop more flavor. Prepare toppings and pile them into separate bowls.
Reheat posole and serve it piping hot, allowing diners to add toppings as they like.
Suggestions
Notes: The fresh jalapeños and dried red pepper flakes called for herein are readily available, but ancho puree pulled from the freezer or the sauce drained from canned chipotles may be substituted, if you have them. Ground turkey or chicken may be substituted for the pork.
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