Pozole (Pork & Hominy Soup)

This soup is different and so delicious.  The base is pork loin with hominy, onions and tomatoes, seasoned of course.  Then topped with a plethora of fresh veggies and cheese that gets gooey and yummy!   So I knew my family's Pozole wasn't completely traditional, now I know how spoiled I was!

?Since corn was a sacred plant for the Mexicans and other inhabitants of Mexico, pozole was made to be consumed on special events. The conjunction of corn (usually whole hominy kernels) and meat in a single dish is of particular interest to scholars because the ancient Mexicans believed that the gods made humans out of cornmeal dough. According to research by the National Institute of Anthropology and History and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, in these special occasions, the meat used in the pozole was human. [4] After the prisoners were killed by having their hearts torn out in a ritual sacrifice, the rest of the body was chopped and cooked with corn. The meal was shared among the whole community as an act of religious communion. After the conquest, when cannibalism was banned, pork became the staple meat, as it "tasted very similar", according to a Spanish priest.[5] (Source:Wikipedia)

"tasted very similar" YIKES!!! 

This delicious soup is made with PORK LOIN, and not your Great Aunt Ethel!!!  This is a fun soup to serve to a group.  Keep the soup heated on the stove and set up all of the condiments for your guests to garnish themselves.  For most of your friends, it will be their first encounter with this fabulous and festive (super easy on the hostess) soup!



POZOLE (Pork and Hominy Soup)



SOUP:

2 lbs pork loin, trimmed of fat and cubed in 1-inch pieces

2 quarts water

4 C chicken stock

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 med. onions, chopped

4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 bay leaves

2 large Hatch, Anaheim or New Mexico chiles, roasted, peeled and diced

2 T Cilantro, chopped

2 cans hominy (one white & one yellow) drained.  *Reserve 1/2 of one of the cans.

1 T dried oregano

2 T chile powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp salt, to taste

Fresh ground pepper, to taste



Garnish with any of the following:

shredded lettuce

thinly sliced radishes

thinly sliced green onions

limes, cut into wedges

shredded carrots

chopped avocado

sliced jalapenos

shredded Jalapeno Jack cheese

shredded cheddar cheese

Tobasco sauce and/or salsa

toasted tortilla strips

sour cream



Soup:



Put all of the ingredients listed for soup into a large stock pot.  Take the reserved 1/2 of can of hominy and process it in your food processor then add it to the stock pot.  This just adds to the consistency of the soup.  Simmer for two hours.  You can make this ahead, chill and skim off the fat before reheating.  Like most soups or stews, it always tastes better the next day.  If you trimmed the pork well of any fat, skimming shouldn't really be necessary.



Serve in warm soup bowls and let your guests and family garnish themselves.  It is ALWAYS a crowd pleaser and I guarantee you will be asked for the recipe again and again. 



Now I guess if your Great Aunt Ethel really is a problem, you can improvise on your ingredients, I'll never tell....