Holiday Posole

Here's a pozole that's really made from scratch. I've posted a recipe in the past that uses canned hominy, but this one uses dried beans - meaning it takes longer to put together. I guess that's why this one is reserved for holidays - that time when it's meaningful (and fun) to spend some extra time in the kitchen making dishes that fill the air with the scent of a good meal.

Ingredients:

1 lb dried posole (hominy), I used one with mixed colors
1/2 lb cooked ham or pork shoulder, cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 Anaheim chili, seeded, and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano (Mexican oregano, if available)
1 Tbs chili powder (or to taste)
1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes (optional)
4 cups chicken broth
Sea salt
Pepper

1 lime, quartered
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely sliced cabbage
1/4 cup finely sliced radishes
1/4 cup chopped avocado

Directions:

Soak posole overnight in a large soup pot. Drain, then cover with water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour. While the hominy cooks, prepare the vegetables. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, along with the onion, garlic, and chili. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the spices, stirring to prevent them from scorching. Add the vegetables to the cooking posole, along with the ham or pork shoulder. Add the chicken broth, one cup at a time to make the soup the thickness that you want. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste. Place the lime, cilantro, cabbage, and radishes on a dish and serve them alongside the soup, so that everyone can add the toppings of their choice.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: This recipe uses significantly less pork than traditional posole recipes, and that is just one of the healthy substitutions here. Adding the toppings on the side allows everyone to add their favorites, and omit the toppings they don't prefer. The soup is already healthy by itself, so adding extra vegetables only makes it a little healthier!