Brianas Gringa Pozoleposole Recipes

POZOLE VERDE CON POLLO (GREEN CHICKEN-AND-HOMINY STEW)

Steps:

• Heat the bacon fat in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the poblanos, jalapenos, scallion whites, pepitas, garlic, salt, cumin, coriander and allspice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatillos and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Working in batches, transfer some of the vegetable mixture to a blender, add some of the chicken broth and puree. Transfer the pureed mixture to a large bowl and continue until all the vegetables and broth have been blended. Return the mixture to the pot and add the hominy. Place over high heat, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the flavors come together, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the cilantro, scallion greens and 2 cups of water in the blender (you don't
• need to rinse it out!) and puree until completely smooth.
• Add the chicken and the cilantro puree to the stew, remove it from the heat and stir to combine. Let sit until the chicken is heated through. Serve the pozole with sliced onion, sliced radish, sliced avocado, crushed chicharrones, oregano and lime wedges.

NEW MEXICAN POZOLE

Steps:

• Drain soaked hominy and put in large soup pot. Cover with water and bring to boil. Let simmer briskly for 1 hour.
• While hominy is cooking, make red chile purée: Toast dried chiles lightly in cast-iron skillet or stovetop grill, just until fragrant. Wearing gloves, slit chiles lengthwise with paring knife. Remove and discard stems and seeds. Put chiles in saucepan and cover with 4 cups water. Simmer 30 minutes and let cool. In blender, purée chiles to a smooth paste using some cooking water as necessary. Purée should be of milkshake consistency.
• Season pork belly and pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper. After posole has cooked 1 hour, add pork shoulder, pork belly, onion stuck with cloves, bay leaf, garlic and cumin. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches, then return to a brisk simmer. While adding water occasionally and tasting broth for salt, simmer for about 2 1/2 hours more, until meat is tender and posole grains have softened and burst. Skim fat from surface of broth.
• Stir in 1 cup chile purée and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning. (At this point, posole can be cooled completely and reheated later. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.)
• To serve, ladle posole, meat and broth into wide bowls. Pass bowls of diced onion, lime wedges, cilantro and oregano, and let guests garnish to taste.

GRINGAS (TRADITIONAL RECIPE)

Steps:

• To marinate the meat: In a blender, combine the achiote paste, chiles, canning sauce, oil and 3/4 cup water. Blend until smooth. Use 1/3 of the marinade to smear over both sides of each piece of meat (refrigerate the rest of the marinade to use on other meat or fish). Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• To cook the meat, you can grill it an high heat or use a grilling pan on the stove. Over high heat, sear the meat for about one minute per side (until you can see brown grill marks) and set aside. Cut into 1/4- to ½ inch pieces or slices and reserve.
• On the same grill, sear the pineapple slices until you see the grill marks. Set aside.
• To build the "gringas": Put some sliced meat on a flour tortilla and pour a handful of shredded cheese over it. Cover with another flour tortilla and warm them on the grill or a pan, over medium heat, for about a minute per side or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown. Set aside.
• To serve, cut each piece into half or quarters. Garnish with a few slices of pineapple, chopped cilantro and sour cream. You can always add green or red salsa, and avocado.