Pork and Chorizo Pozole

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Pozole is a slow-simmered, elaborately spiced Mexican stew made with hominy (dried corn kernels soaked in a mineral lime bath). This streamlined version from Chopped judge Aarón Sánchez, chef at Mestizo in Leawood, Kansas, uses two time-saving ingredients: fresh chorizo (which is already spiced) and pork cut into small, quick-cooking cubes.

Pork and Chorizo Pozole
Photo: © Fredrika Stjärne
Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
55 mins
Yield:
6 to 8

Recipe from Food & Wine Chefs' Easy Weeknight Dinners

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 2 pounds trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • Salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • 1 large white onion, quartered

  • 2 cloves

  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican, plus more for garnish

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 2 quarts beef broth

  • 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed

  • 4 plum tomatoes, halved

  • 3 garlic cloves

  • 1 ounce each of ancho and guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

  • 1 pound fresh Mexican chorizo, casings removed

  • Two 15-ounce cans white hominy, drained and rinsed

  • Thinly sliced radishes, chopped onion and cilantro and lime wedges, for serving

Directions

  1. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the pork with salt and pepper, add to the casserole and cook over moderately high heat, stirring twice, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add 1 piece of the quartered onion, the cloves, the 1 tablespoon of oregano, the bay leaves and 6 cups of the beef broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the pork is tender, about 40 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.

  2. Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet. In a large bowl, toss the tomatillos, tomatoes, garlic and remaining 3 pieces of onion with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Add the vegetables to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat until blistered in spots, about 10 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a blender.

  3. In the same skillet, toast the chiles over moderately high heat until slightly darkened, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of beef broth and bring to a simmer; cover the skillet, remove from the heat and let the chiles soften for 5 minutes. Add the chiles and broth to the blender with the vegetables and puree until smooth. Strain the vegetable-chile puree into a bowl. Wipe out the skillet.

  4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Add the chorizo and cook over moderate heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chorizo, hominy and vegetable-chile puree to the casserole and bring the pozole to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish the pozole with radishes, onion, cilantro and oregano and serve with lime wedges.

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