luck in a bowl with a side of tortillas

Lily and Kristen G. inspired me to make this spicy, Christmasy stew with my mom last Sunday.  This red pork stew will warm you to the core, even on 20 degree Seattle days. I like this soup extra much because Kris's boyfriend, John, tells me that hominy is good luck.  And what is better than luck that you can scoop into a bowl and eat? Nothing.

Posole is very spicy folks, so unless you want a gutbuster, shy away from adding more than the recommended half can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

The homemade tortillas are perfect for dipping and their mildness cools your mouth as you eat.

POSOLE
(from nincomsoup)
5 lbs. of bone in shoulder pork, cut into 4-5 pieces
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped course
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 can of stewed tomatoes, 14 oz can, sliced
1/2 can of chipotle chiles in adobo, half the sauce and half the chiles
1 tsp. dried oregano
6 cups chicken broth
1 large can of hominy (28 oz)

GARNISHES
2 limes, cut into quarters
1/4 red cabbage, sliced thinly
1 small onion, chopped finely
cilantro, roughly chopped
5 radishes, sliced thinly

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Heat a large pot to medium high, add vegetable oil and onions. Stir frequently until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

Add the pork, and brown on all sides. Once browned, add tomatoes, broth, oregano, and chipotle chiles. Bring to a boil then cover with a lid and place in the oven. Cook until the meat is very tender, about 3-4 hours.

Remove the pot from the oven, remove the meat from the pot and shred the pork until smaller chunks (not too shredded). Return the pork to the pot, add the hominy and simmer for another 30-45 minutes until all of the flavors have melded together.
 
 

FLOUR TORTILLAS
Two cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
3/4 cups of warm milk

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil. Slowly add the warm milk. Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed. Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.

After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)

After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. (If you roll out pie crusts you’ll have no problem with this.) Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.

In a dry iron skillet on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done. Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.

Makes eight tortillas.

Muy Picante Chile Verde!

When my cousin Tanna was in town she made a deliciously spicy pork green chile, that she was kind enough to share the recipe for and photograph.  She works for an Oregon winery, Van Duzer, and loves cooking tasty meals and finding great wine pairings.  My mom, sister and I had the opportunity to visit her this summer and attend one of the wine dinners that Van Duzer hosts. She was in charge of the entire event for over 150 people and brought in her favorite chefs from Denver to cook the meal. It was great to see her talents at work and how much she loves her job, it's really a perfect fit and we are very proud of her. 

Mom and Tanna loving life at Van Duzer winery this past summer.

The cool thing about Tanna is that she is as talented at home as she is at work. Although, we won't tell her boss that she recommends serving her chile verde with cerveza, specifically BUD LIGHT, not Van Duzer wines. 

This is one of my cool and calm Uncle Tommy Max's favorites, he eats it with a side of flour tortillas. Here it is, the much awaited Pork Green Chile recipe.

the ingredients.  ready for cooking.  shameless Van Duzer product placement.

chile verde, finished. 

CHILE VERDE
1-2 lbs. pork (whatever's cheapest), fat removed and cubed

1 onion, chopped
2 anaheim peppers, chopped
1 jalapeno, fresh, chopped
3 cans of Rotel tomatoes (this is key, Rotel's are unparalleled by any other brand)
1 small can diced green chiles
additional roasted poblano peppers if available
salt and pepper to taste
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
Olive oil
Beer (bud light or yellow beer if you choose to use)
Flour or corn starch
 
Brown the pork in a couple tablespoons of olive oil with chopped onion, jalapeno, anaheim chiles, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin. After this is browned and tender, add the cans of Rotel. Add one small can of diced green chiles, any brand. Then fill the Rotel cans with water and put about 2-3 cans of water or chicken broth in the pot. You can also throw in a can of beer. Make a slurry with flour or corn starch. Keep cooking down, say all afternoon, adding spices and liquid until you have the consistency and flavor you want.
 
This is typically eaten in our family as a “smother” for a good homemade burrito. But cool and calm Uncle Tom likes to eat as a soup with a flour tortilla on the side for dipping! This can be made as hot as you want. This can also be made with chicken.

Serve with cerveza! Muy picante!