Pork and hominy soup with red chile and fresh garnishes.
Author: Norm
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 16 servings
Ingredients
For the soup
4 quarts canned hominy, drained and rinsed
2 pounds lean, boneless pork shoulder, in a single piece
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 large (about 2 ounces total) dried chiles anchos, stemmed, seeded and deveined
4 large (about 1 ounce total) dried chiles guajillos, stemmed, seeded and deveined
4 large (about 1 ounce total) dried chiles guajillos, stemmed, seeded and deveined
About 1 tablespoon of salt
For the condiments
½ head of cabbage, cored and very thinly sliced
8 to 10 radishes, thinly sliced
1½ cups finely chopped onion
2 to 3 large limes, cut into wedges
15 to 20 Crispy fried tortillas (or tortilla strips or chips)
Instructions
Prepare the hominy
Measure 7 quarts of water into a kettle or stockpot
Add the pork shoulder, the garlic, and the hominy to the water
Bring the stock to a boil and then turn down to a simmer
Prepare the chile
Tear the chiles into large, flat pieces and toast them, a few at a time, on a griddle or heavy skillet set over medium heat, using a metal spatula to press them firmly against the hot surface until they crackle and blister, then flipping them over and pressing them down again. Remove to a bowl, cover with boiling water, weight with a place to keep them submerged, and soak for 30 minutes.
Drain, place in a blender jar, and add ½ cup water; blend until smooth. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into the simmering soup, then mix well.
Finish it off
Generously season the soup with salt and let simmer for another hour or so.
Remove the pork shoulder from the soup and let cool.
When cool enough to handle, remove any fat, and chop the meat into 1 inch pieces and roughly shred it.
Just before serving, add the meat to the pot and let simmer a few minutes to reheat
Serving
Ladle the soup into large bowls, top each one with a portion of shredded cabbage and some sliced radishes
Add onion, oregano, and lime wedges as desired
The tortilla chips are a crunchy accompaniment to enjoy between big spoonfuls of the soup.
Notes
Adapted from Rick Bayless, in Authentic Mexican, Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico. Note that the nutritional values do not include the condiments.