Most Delightful Corn Chowder

It has been hectic here these last couple of months. We decided to move to the southwest US, to a house half the size we are currently living in. Lots and lots and lots of donations, donations, donations and garbage. Oh heavens, the junk we accumulate. In the middle of this chaos, sorting, throwing out and such, while I continue to cook, trying new things all the time, just because that's how I roll, still I haven't had much time at all to focus on this blog. At the beginning of May, I will be taking a hiatus, until we finalize the move, then get settled enough in the new place to be able to think again - of anything other than packing or unpacking. 

Roasted Corn & Poblano Chowder

Meanwhile, I just absolutely had to share this wonderful soup recipe. I call it a chowder because it is slightly creamy but with lots of chunky things in it for all the goodness it provides. Originally I found the recipe in an America's Test Kitchen's special edition magazine. The thing I like about either America's Test Kitchens or Cooks Illustrated is the great flavors the recipes have. The thing I dislike about either America's Test Kitchens or Cooks Illustrated recipes is that it seems they require every - single - extraneous - step - possible, to accomplish the recipe.

REALLY?

So I looked through the recipe. I skipped a few steps. I eliminated some ingredients. I added other ingredients. But basically, it is based on their recipe, somewhere in the beginning of all of it. And it is one stellar, hearty soup with divine flavors. 

The recipe does call for cutting the corn off of 6 fresh ears, tossing them with salt, pepper and oil, then broiling them. I thought, "Why not just grill the whole ears, and THEN cut the kernels off?" And normally, this is what I would do, but it just happened that the day I decided to make the chowder was a chilly, rainy day, and so - I did cut off the kernels first, toss them with oil, salt and pepper and broil. Ah, well...

Roasted Corn and Poblano Chowder 

Roasted Corn & Poblano Chowder

Serves 6 to 8

2 Poblano chilies
6 fresh ears of corn
2 teaspoons oil
salt and pepper
2 thick slices bacon, cut in ¼-inch bits
1 medium onion, chopped
4 - 6 fresh cloves garlic, minced
7 cups chicken broth
1 large sweet potato, about 1 pound, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup corn masa flour, or two corn tortillas
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
14-ounces andouille or other spicy smoked sausage
Queso Fresco, for serving

Preheat the broiler and set the rack at about 6-inches from the broiler element. Set the poblano peppers on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Set under the broiler and let the peppers blacken and blister, turning with tongs as needed to blacken evenly. Remove the peppers to a plastic bag and seal, allowing them to steam and cool enough to handle.

Cut the corn kernels from the cobs and place them into a mixing bowl with the oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly, then pour the kernels onto the same foil lined baking sheet in an even layer. Set under the broiler and cook until slightly browned in spots, stirring the corn once about halfway through. Place the corn back into the bowl and set aside.

Peel the Poblano peppers, then remove the stems and seeds. Cut the peppers into small pieces. Add these to the corn.

Fry the bacon pieces until crisp in a large Dutch oven or other soup pot. Remove the bacon to paper toweling, then saute the onion in the bacon fat until softened. Add in the garlic and cook for another three minutes, or until fragrant. Add in the broth, the sweet potato chunks, the corn and Poblanos and bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes, covered, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Remove two cups of the chowder mixture to a blender container and puree, adding in the corn tortilla masa (or the two corn tortillas) to blend until smooth. Return the puree to the pot. Add in the bacon and the andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch slices and check for seasoning, adding in another ½-teaspoon of salt, if needed. Cook on low for another 10 minutes, then stir in the cilantro and serve. Crumble some queso fresco over each bowl of chowder.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Barley Makes a Great Base for a Meal

With summer fast approaching, we all look to find recipes that take less time spent over a hot stove. If cooking is needed, then at least cooking a pot of barley is on top of the stove, and doesn't need close watching. 

We often overlook alternative grains as making up the base of a meal, and barley is so tasty. It takes about an hour to cook it through, unless you prefer the quick-cooking variety. I always try to buy the long cooking sort, but that is just the way I roll. Barley has a nice chewiness to it, giving something to sink your teeth into. For me, that makes it "feel" like I am getting more out of the meal, somehow. 
 

Barley Salad with Corn & Mango

To Roast, or Not to Roast?

I like adding in roasted red and green bell peppers to the mix, but if it's just too hot to deal with roasting the peppers and peeling them, simply use a jar or two of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped, and then a little can or two of chopped green chilies.

And then the corn. I admit, roasted ears of fresh corn are amazingly good. If you have the grill going anyway, roasting the corn is great. But if it is too hot and getting the grill going, or even standing near it feels like some level of hell's fire, then just use a can or corn, well drained. 

Barley Salad with Corn & Mango

Fresh Fruit?

I love mango, so I use mango in this salad. You could substitute things like papaya, peach, apricot, or even strawberries, if the salad will be eaten in short order. Strawberries won't look so good if the salad is leftover, and this does make a lot of barley salad.

So, What's Left?

All that is really left are the seasonings that make all these flavors come together in such a pleasing way. Lime juice, cumin, black pepper, olive oil. Scallions for a nice oniony crunch. Just a bit of cider vinegar to add piquancy.

And then, while this is an amazing side dish at any time of year, if you add in some store-bought rotisserie chicken, you've got a meal with minimal fuss. Rotisserie chickens are widely available at the grocery these days, and they make a quick and easy recipe addition. Simply remove all the skin and bones and add in the chicken - in large chunks or chopped. This is so good - you just have to try it!

Barley Salad with Corn & Mango

Barley Salad with Corn & Mango

Serves about 8

1 cup pearl barley
8 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper (or use a Poblano)
2 ears corn, husked
6 to 8 scallions, chopped
1 large mango, peeled, diced
2 to 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, to taste
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Rotisserie Chicken, optional

Bring the water to a boil, add in the salt and cook the barley according to package directions, till al dente. Drain the barley and place into a large bowl.

Roast the peppers until blackened. Place them into a zip-top bag and seal; steam for a few minutes until cool enough to handle. Peel the skins, discard the seeds and stem. Chop the peppers and add to the barley. Alternately, use a jar or two of roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped, and a small can or two of chopped green chilies.

Roast the corn over a hot grill until quite a few kernels are nicely browned. Slice the kernels from the cob and add to the barley. Alternately, drain a can of whole kernel corn and add to the barley.

Add in the scallions, mango and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together the cumin, lime juice and apple cider vinegar, then whisk in the oil. Pour over the salad and toss well to combine. Let the salad stand for at least a half hour before serving.

If using the chicken, remove skin and bones and discard. Chop the meat as desired and add to the salad, mixing well to combine.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Pretty Green Dip

I love Salsa Verde. It's so flavorful, particularly if you take the time to roast or broil the veggies. I set a recipe out here in the blog a while back, but it seems I just never make it the same way twice. 

As it happens, I was asked to make a "Jalapeño Dip" for Easter festivities. As it also happened, I had a gallbladder attack and it was removed just 2 days before Easter, so I missed the festivities - but I did make the dip. Problem was, while it looked and smelled great, I just couldn't taste it for fear of what pain I would endure. I live by my taste buds, so this was against everything I know, to allow a new recipe out to family without ever really being able to taste how the flavors worked. 

Green Jalapeno Dip

Salsa Verde made with Poblanos

I had never made a "jalapeño dip" before, so I thought about it some, and decided that I should start with a Salsa Verde, or "Green Sauce" and then add ingredients to make it a dip. I wanted to make it with a tiny bit of bite, but nothing kids couldn't handle. I decided that instead of the one green pepper for making the Salsa Verde, I would add in two Poblano peppers. These gave the sauce a much deeper color than I had ever achieved before. As it happened, this batch of Poblano peppers had no particular heat to them, so that was good. Once most of the ingredients were together, I added in one roasted, peeled and seeded jalapeño pepper. I was "tasting" things only in the sense of a quick touch of the tongue - but no swallowing (I was in some major pain, I tell you). I detected no heat, so I added a second, and then a third. Finally I felt a little tiny note of spice - and left it at that. 

I asked the hostess of the Easter festivities to please poll those who ate this dip, so I would have some handle on how good was it. Did it need anything to boost flavor? The report was that it was amazing, and once people got past the color green, they gobbled it down and the container of dip was gone! I guess that means it was good.

Meanwhile, I am doing well after my surgery, so one of these days I am making another batch so I can actually taste it. Sigh. It sure did look good.

Green Jalapeño Dip

Green Jalapeno Dip

Made 3½ cups

1½ cups Salsa Verde, made with Poblano Peppers
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 cup cilantro leaves
3 blistered, peeled, seeded jalapeño peppers (leave seeds and membranes in if you prefer the heat) 
1 teaspoon salt 

Make the Salsa Verde recipe, adding in two Poblano peppers, blistered, peeled and seeded, to the basic recipe. The recipe for the Salsa Verde makes about 3 cups, so the rest can be frozen for a later date. 

Measure out the 1½ cups Salsa Verde in a blender and add in the extra jalapenos, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Blend very fine. In a mixing bowl, with hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth, then add the blender mixture of "doctored" salsa verde and beat to combine. Chill thoroughly before serving. Wonderful served with corn tortilla chips.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you wonder what else to do with the leftover Salsa Verde, it can be used as is for a dip, or it can be used as a braising liquid for a Pork Shoulder in Green Sauce. There are many wonderful uses, but the pork shoulder is such a favorite! Pollo en Jocon is another great use for it.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

An Amended and Amazing Breakfast.

Back in November I wrote about a breakfast that I had eaten at a small restaurant (Tweets) out in the greater Seattle area. The breakfast was called Poblano Relleno, etc., and it was just the most amazing combination of flavors, presented in such a lovely and engaging manner. In November I tried making it. It was delicious, but not without its pitfalls. (Read about that here.)

Since that time, I have made a couple of other breakfast casseroles, in the same little Pyrex 2-serving sized loaf pan. I've learned a few things along the way. Chief among these things is that covering the casserole during baking makes the baking time decrease, and also the egg puffs beautifully. That first attempt in November was the first time I had ever made a breakfast egg casserole of any kind. 

Poblano Relleno Breakfast Casserole II

Another idea that came up while making these other casseroles (without the Poblano pepper in the middle) is that adding shredded cheese to the egg that goes atop the Poblano might just help the egg keep the Poblano down, just above the potatoes in the bottom, instead of floating to the top as it did in my first attempt. At Tweets, the Poblano was just perfectly set above the potatoes in the bottom of the casserole, while the top half of the eggs was set nice and high above. In my first attempt in November, I had not added any cheese to the eggs that went over top of the Poblano pepper, and both the potatoes and the Poblano layer just floated up to the surface.

A few years back I had bought some pretty silicone lids by Charles Viancin, in a kitchen store (Amazon carries them, thus the link. i have no affiliation with Amazon or any remuneration for selling them). My first couple were "lily pad" shaped, and then I got a couple of banana leaf types. I love these, either for covering a plate while reheating in the microwave, or while baking things in the oven. I use the larger rectangle banana leaf shape to cover my scalloped potatoes while they bake, and I found that the medium sized lily pad lid covers this little Pyrex loaf pan. And the best part of all is that since the silicone is flexible, it expands as the eggs expand. I haven't tried this with anything else as a cover, since it works so perfectly. And since the eggs tend to puff way up, I would be hesitant to use something like aluminum foil. Just below is a photo of one of my other breakfast casseroles, just baked, with the Lily Pad lid removed.

Bacon and Egg Casserole

At this point in time, I have become quite proficient at making these breakfast casseroles, and they are turning out great every time. I tried making this recipe in two wells of a jumbo muffin tin, and while they came out well, perfectly cooked, I just didn't like it. Why? Because I do not like any brown on my eggs. I cannot tolerate the flavor of browned egg. When I make this casserole in the small loaf pan, once removed from the pan, I trim all the edges so they are perfectly straight, thereby removing any browned sides. In the muffin tin, being round, I did no trimming, and all those browned sides just totally ruined the flavor, for me. 

I realize that while I am not unique in this particular dislike, there are also plenty of people who absolutely prefer their eggs browned, or even slightly burnt. If this is the case, go for the jumbo muffin tins, as they came out great, aside from this one flaw (for me 😀).

Ultimately, here below I am showing a photo of my scrumptious breakfast at Tweets, then my first attempt at recreating this casserole at home, and then my second attempt, recently, where finally I got it just as I wanted it. The cheese was added to the second half of the eggs, and pouring this over the Poblano kept enough bulk in the eggs to hold down the potato and Poblano. Just like at Tweets. Hurray!

Tweets breakfast                 -                 my first attempt                 -                my second attempt

Poblano Relleno Breakfast Casserole II

Serves 2
 

Poblano Relleno Breakfast Casserole II

MAKE AHEAD (one day, at least):
1 Poblano Pepper, blistered, peeled
2 cups black beans (cooked ahead or use one can, divided between plates)

CASSEROLE:
1 medium potato, quartered, sliced thinly
- oil for frying
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt for potatoes
6 eggs, whisked to combine
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese (or any preferred shredded cheese)

ASSEMBLE GARNISHES:
1 small "salad" portion, per plate (red cabbage, salad greens, arugula, etc)
2 - 4 small cherry tomatoes, or whatever colorful garnish is available
- sour cream, thinned if needed
- scallion greens, sliced or chopped
- cilantro leaves, optional
- Feta Cheese or Queso Fresco (1-ounce per plate)

Fry the potatoes in enough oil so they do not stick, and sprinkle with the ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt. Toss them frequently, until they are nicely browned, crisp and cooked through.

Spray a small loaf pan (4 x 6-inch) with cooking spray. Press the potatoes into the bottom of the casserole. Whisk the fresh thyme leaves and the ½ teaspoon salt into the eggs. Pour half the egg mixture over the potatoes and rap the pan various times to get the egg to penetrate the potatoes. Allow to set for a few minutes, while this occurs. Cut the peeled Poblano in half lengthwise, then set the halves over top of the potatoes so they cover the whole surface. Add the half cup Cheddar cheese to the remaining eggs and pour this over top of the Poblano pepper. Spray a silicone "lid" as explained above and set it over top of the casserole. Alternately, spray a piece of foil and set the sprayed side down over the casserole, but do not crimp it into place. Bake the casserole in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 to 45 minutes. Check after 35 minutes, as all ovens are different. 

While the casserole is baking, assemble all the garnish ingredients. Heat the black beans, whether homemade or canned. When the casserole is done, give it a few minutes to set, then run a knife around the edges and remove the casserole from the pan. With a very sharp knife, trim the outer edges straight and cut the casserole in half. Place about 1 cup of black beans into each of two large bowls. Set a slice of the casserole on top of the beans in each plate. Place a portion of salad or slaw on top of the casserole, then "scribble" some sour cream artfully over the whole plate. Set the tomato slices around the casserole, crumble on the cheese and strew with scallion greens and cilantro, if using. Serve immediately.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Most Amazing Breakfast

Okay, first off, this is no snap to prepare.

Photo of Tweets' Poblano Relleno

I wrote about a wonderful breakfast I ate at Tweets Cafe while I was out in Washington visiting my son and his lady. It was called "Poblano Relleno & Black Beans with Red Cabbage Slaw, Creme Fraiche & Heirloom Tomatoes . . ." Ever since eating it, I had been thinking about how to recreate it. And finally, the weekend before last, I made it. Holy heaven, it was as good as I remembered. 

And I re-iterate: It is no snap to prepare. 

It needs some time and some planning and some organization. But I am nothing if not methodical, and I had put a month worth of thought into this, so I finally just made the decision. And the decision was that I would make this casserole in a very small loaf pan, just to serve two (albeit in very large, restaurant-sized portions).

Assembling the component parts

My Preparations

I knew I would need the Poblano Peppers blistered and peeled. I bought two of them as I was still unsure how much I would be making and what I would need. The Poblanos were blistered, peeled and into a baggie in the fridge that day. I bought both Feta cheese and "Queso Fresco," unsure which I would want to use. I made a pot of black beans the day before. 

The morning of my grand event, I set out prepping things like the salad for the top. I love red cabbage (or any cabbage😋), so shredding some for the top was no big deal. My husband, on the other hand, really will not touch raw cabbage, and eats cooked cabbage only grudgingly. So I made a little green salad for his plate. Scallion greens were sliced for garnish. Sour cream was well stirred and into a squeeze bottle for "scribbling." Tomatoes were sliced for my plate (my husband will not eat fresh tomatoes). I set out Queso Fresco (finally made my decision) easy to crumble by hand, last minute. I had fried the potatoes, using my recipe for "Pan Potatoes" (but using one medium/smallish potato) and making sure they were well browned and well seasoned.

Now it was time to assemble. My initial reasoning was to whip the eggs up a bit, in the hope they would stay light in the casserole. At Tweets, the egg part of the casserole did not seem at all heavy or too compact. It held perfect shape, but seemed light, all the same. I layered the potatoes in the bottom of the pan. I had lined the pan with foil in the hope of easy release and easy cleanup. I have no idea why or how, but there was baked-on egg between the foil and the loaf pan and the egg was very well baked on. Oh well. So much for planning. So the potatoes in place, I poured on about half the eggs and let them set for a few seconds, hoping it would easily distribute through the potato layer. 

It did not.

My Poblano Relleno Breakfast Casserole

Okay, so my advice is to tap, rap, bang, or whatever works to get the egg down in among the potatoes before proceeding. At Tweets the potatoes were nicely compact in the bottom of the casserole. The Poblano was nicely centered, just above the potatoes, yet well below the top of the baked casserole. This did not happen with my attempt, either. It in no way impaired flavor. It was just a puzzling out kind of thing. 

Back to the layering: After the first half of the egg mixture, I set the Poblano in a layer over top. Then I poured on the remaining egg mixture. This went into the oven at 350 degrees and I timed it 25 minutes. I reasoned that it was a very small casserole, right? What a gross underestimation. It ended up taking a full hour for that tiny 4 x 6-inch casserole. I removed it from the oven various times to check. Upon pressing on the top, liquid egg still kept surfacing. I timed it 10 minutes more, ten minutes more, etc, until finally, at one hour, it was done. Whew!

The Outcome?

Casserole set atop Beans

Getting the casserole out of the pan was a true challenge, since the foil stuck to the pan, and the casserole stuck to the foil (despite spraying the foil with cooking spray). I finally got a knife run around the edges and turned the casserole out into my hand, then set it upright on the cutting board. Since loaf pans have a slight flare at the sides, I trimmed the edges straight, then cut the casserole in half, making two beautifully square pieces.

I put some of my reheated black beans into large bowls, then set the casserole squarely on top. I piled my red cabbage on top of my portion, and the green salad on my husband's portion. I "scribbled" the sour cream over each plate. I set pieces of heirloom tomato around my portion, then crumbled some of the Queso Fresco over each and a bit of scallion greens went over top. I also put a few cilantro leaves over each plate, since we love cilantro. 

The flavors were absolutely exceptional, and a very close match to what was served at Tweets. My potatoes ended lifting themselves up into the egg mixture, causing the Poblano to be setting on top, rather than the middle. This in no way affected flavor, only esthetics. Other than this, there was nothing I could criticize; the flavors were tremendous.

It may not be a simple "throw-together" for a weekend, but for someone really special, it is a little labor of love that is well worth attempting.

Poblano Relleno Breakfast Casserole

Serves 2

Poblano Relleno Breakfast Casserole

MAKE AHEAD (one day, at least):
1 Poblano Pepper, blistered, peeled
2 cups black beans (cooked ahead or use one can, divided between plates)

CASSEROLE:
1 medium potato, quartered, sliced thinly
oil for frying
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt for potatoes
6 eggs, whisked to combine
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon salt

ASSEMBLE GARNISHES:
1 small "salad" portion, per plate (red cabbage, salad greens, arugula, etc)
2 - 4 small cherry tomatoes
sour cream, thinned if needed
scallion greens, sliced or chopped
cilantro leaves, optional
Feta Cheese or Queso Fresco (1-ounce per plate)

Fry the potatoes in enough oil so they do not stick, and sprinkle with the ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt. Toss them frequently, until they are nicely browned, crisp and cooked through.

Spray a small loaf pan (4 x 6-inch) with cooking spray. Press the potatoes into the bottom of the casserole. Whisk the fresh thyme leaves and the ½ teaspoon salt into the eggs. Pour half the egg mixture over the potatoes and rap the pan various times to get the egg to penetrate the potatoes. Allow to set for a few minutes, while this occurs. Cut the peeled Poblano in half lengthwise, then set the halves over top of the potatoes so they cover the whole surface. Pour on the remaining eggs. Bake the casserole in a preheated 350 degree oven for about one hour, checking after 50 minutes, as all ovens are different. If wet egg seeps up when the casserole is pressed on top, it needs more cooking time.

While the casserole is baking, assemble all the garnish ingredients. Heat the black beans, whether homemade or canned. When the casserole is done, give it a few minutes to set, then run a knife around the edges and remove the casserole from the pan. With a very sharp knife, trim the outer edges and cut the casserole in half. Place about 1 cup of black beans into each of two large bowls. Set a slice of the casserole on top of the beans in each plate. Place a portion of salad or slaw on top of the casserole, then "scribble" some sour cream artfully over the whole plate. Set the tomato slices around the casserole, crumble on the cheese and strew with scallion greens and cilantro, if using. Serve immediately.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

What in the World is Pozole

Nixtamalized Corn, Pozole, or Hominy, oh My!

Pozole (or sometimes spelled "Posole") is a word I had heard, but couldn't really say for certain where I had heard it. And, nor did I know exactly what it was, except for that I thought it had to do with corn. Not just any corn, but the kind used to make corn tortillas, where it has been "nixtamalized," or soaked/cooked in "cal" (calcium hydroxide or pickling lime). This corn is sometimes called hominy and sometimes pozole. 

Nixtamalized corn (hominy or pozole) is made with larger "field corn" types rather than little "sweet corn" kernels. It can be made with white corn or yellow corn (most commonly), but also with others like blue corn, red and other varieties. The process of cooking and/or soaking the corn with calcium hydroxide is: 

1. to increase the bio-availability of proteins, calcium and niacin, and . . .



Corn Tortillas pressed above and patted below

2. it loosens and softens the outer skins (the bran) of the kernels, making them easy to rub off and discard.

The corn, once cooked this way with the skins discarded but still retaining the germ, is the type used to make corn tortillas or later, corn chips. When fresh, it has a smell unlike any other. If unaccustomed to this smell, it may not appeal, but once you've gotten used to absolutely fresh corn tortillas, made from this freshly ground nixtamalized corn,  and hand-patted, seen in the lower photo right, by a woman (or even some children - and I'm not discriminating, but truly I have NEVER seen a man do this!) skilled in this process, well, all I can say is that those super-pressed-flat and too-easy-to-crumble corn tortillas you buy in a store, seen in the upper photo above, just have no appeal left - at all!

So what is Pozole, Then?

Okay then, back to the original statement. Pozole is nothing more than hominy, and hominy is nothing more than nixtamalized corn. Aha! 

Nixtamalized Dried Corn next to a nickel and a dime

When I looked online to buy nixtamalized dried corn, much of the terminology was confusing, and I was unsure if any given item was truly what I was looking for. One person, in a review, stated that to be sure, to look for the term "Mote Pelado" on the label. I had no idea what the term "mote" meant, but I did understand "pelado," which means peeled, and nixtamalized corn is peeled. Once I found what I was looking for, I just ordered it, as I was tired from looking all over the place. Then it arrived, and holy cow! Those kernels were huge! Of course once I looked at the bag, it said "Giant White Kernels." They were not kidding!

Then, I found out that there is also a stew called pozole. It is Mexican, as far as I can ascertain, though to me, flavor-wise, it could very easily be Guatemalan as well. It is made with these nixtamalized kernels, whether hominy from a can, hominy made fresh or dried and soaked hominy/pozole. The pozole stew is made either green or red. It is made with pork or with chicken - or both. 

Pork Pozole Verde

 
I started looking at recipes online as usual, then as I got an idea of what I was looking to create, I made a recipe for myself. I used my own recipe for Salsa Verde, or Green Sauce, since all the ingredients that are in the green sauce are also in a green pozole stew. I went with the green version, for this reason. Plus, I love the flavor of my own Salsa Verde! 

Pozole Stew, Red or Green, and Why? 

Mirasol Chili left & Guajillo dried version right

A pozole/stew can be made "red" or "green." The difference is in the chili peppers used to make the sauce. For a red sauce, you would use dried red chilies, mainly guajillo and ancho, as far as I can see from various online recipes I perused. Guajillo chilies are somewhat hotter/medium spicy dried red chilies that are smooth and long. They are the dried version of Mirasol Chilies, so called because "mira sol" means look to the sun, and these chilies grow pointing upwards, rather than hanging down. A large quantity of both Guajillo and Ancho Chilies are used to make the sauce for red pozole. First they are soaked, then seeds and membranes are removed, then they are blended into a fine puree, along with fried onion and garlic.

Poblano Chili left and Ancho dried version right

Ancho chilies are also a dried red chili, larger, broader and the skin is very crinkly. Anchos start their lives as Poblano peppers. Most groceries seem to carry Poblanos these days. Once a green pepper (of most varieties) matures, it turns red. Once mature, the chili, when dried, will look very dark, as you see with an Ancho pepper. As far as heat levels go, Poblanos and Anchos can be fairly hot (rarely as hot as a Jalapeno), but sometimes they are very mild indeed. 

Tomatillos of the Nightshade Family

To make my Salsa Verde, in this instance, I used Anaheim chilies, since my grocery was totally out of Poblano chilies! I used a about 8 of them in the recipe, as they are smaller and narrower than Poblano chilies. The other things that make the sauce green are tomatillos, which are a fruit in the nightshade family, just as are tomatoes and peppers of all varieties. They look like ground cherries as they have a husk that covers the fruit inside. They are similar in flavor to a small green tomato and have a high acidity.

Since I was making my Pork Pozole Verde in my slow cooker, I browned the meat, cut into cubes of about 3-inches square. Once browned, I moved the pieces to the slow cooker and added the green sauce with the remaining ingredients and slow cooked all day long. 

In most of the Green Pozole recipes I read online epazote was added to the pot.

Epazote or Apazote

Epazote is a weed that is used at least in Mexico and Guatemala - maybe other countries. Generally in Guatemala it is added to black beans while cooking, hopefully to mitigate the after-effects of eating beans! It grows wild all over the place down there, and I also found it growing by the wayside while living in Florida. The herb has a very peculiar and pungent smell and flavor. Up north, obviously it is not found growing wild, so I ordered dried epazote. I had grown to love the flavor it gave to my black beans, and so still use it. I used it in this stew also, but it is obviously not completely necessary.

Traditionally, the stew is served in bowls with lots of side bits to add as desired: sliced radishes, cubed avocado, lime wedges, chopped onion, hot chili powder among other things. I served mine with lime wedges, though my husband would never add more lime to a food. He's not keen on sour notes. Nor is he keen on avocados, and dislikes radishes and chopped onion anyway. SO! We just went with the stew as is, and it was still truly delicious.

Two last things: If you cannot bring yourself to hunt out the dried nixtamalized corn/pozole/mote pelado, it is possible to add in drained, canned hominy, though it should be added towards the end of cooking time so it does not totally disintegrate. Second, this can be made in a large pot on the stove or in the oven, cooking through slowly over 3 to 4 hours.

Pork Pozole Verde

Serves 8 or more

Pork Pozole Verde

2 cups dried, nixtamalized corn/pozole
4 pounds pork shoulder, cut in 3-inch chunks
oil, for frying
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2½ to 3 cups Salsa Verde, made with
6 Poblanos or 8 Anaheim chilies
more hot chilies as desired, chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
6 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon freshly minced oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly ground
1 teaspoon dried epazote or 2 sprigs fresh, optional
1 bay leaf
1 - two additional teaspoons salt, as needed
a few grinds of black pepper
1 - 2 potatoes, peeled, cubed

The night prior to making the pozole, place the dried pozole corn in a large bowl and cover with large quantities of water. Cover and soak overnight. In the morning, drain, reserving the liquid.

In the morning, combine the flour and first teaspoon salt and dredge the chunks of meat in the flour. Brown the meat thoroughly on all sides, then place them into the slow cooker. (You will need a large slow cooker for this recipe.) Add in the Salsa Verde, extra hot chilies per your spice level, the onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, epazote, bay leaf, one more teaspoon salt and pepper. Add in the potatoes and the soaked/drained pozole corn along with 2 cups of the drained liquid. During cooking, add more of the liquid if needed to maintain a soup/stew consistency.

My slow cooker has only Hi or Low settings, and I cooked it on high for 6 hours. Once the meat is tender, remove the meat chunks and shred. Return the meat to the pot and check for salt. If needed, add more. Garnish the bowls of stew with chopped cilantro and wedges of lime and serve.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.