Pozole (Mexican pork and hominy stew)

Name: Pozole (Mexican pork and hominy stew)
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 pork chops, about 1 ½ pounds; 2 chicken legs plus thighs, about 1 ½ pounds; 6 cups water; 1 onion, about ¼ pound, peeled and quartered; 1 large clove garlic, peeled; Salt to taste if desired; 2 tablespoons chopped hot green chilies, optional (see note); 12 peppercorns; 2 ½ cups drained canned hominy, available in shops and supermarkets that deal in Spanish and Puerto Rican foods; 1 small head iceberg lettuce; 12 radishes; 1 lime; ½ cup finely chopped Bermuda onion

By Pierre Franey

Published March 8, 1983

Total Time: 1 hour and 50 minutes
Rating: 3(69)
Comments: Read comments

Pierre Franey, who for decades was an integral contributor to The Times’s food report, delivered this recipe for pozole in 1983. At the time, he said: “A genuine pozole is a tedious but incredibly simple food, rather like a hearty soup, made of pork and hominy (the dried kernels of corn). It is served with the cooking liquid plus assorted garnishes, including chopped onion, ground hot chilies, sliced radishes, shredded lettuce and lime wedges, which are passed at the table and added according to taste.” Which doesn’t sound tedious at all. Still, he designed this recipe so that it could be cooked within an hour.

Featured in: 60-MINUTE GOURMET

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

4 pork chops, about 1 ½ pounds
2 chicken legs plus thighs, about 1 ½ pounds
6 cups water
1 onion, about ¼ pound, peeled and quartered
1 large clove garlic, peeled
Salt to taste if desired
2 tablespoons chopped hot green chilies, optional (see note)
12 peppercorns
2 ½ cups drained canned hominy, available in shops and supermarkets that deal in Spanish and Puerto Rican foods
1 small head iceberg lettuce
12 radishes
1 lime
½ cup finely chopped Bermuda onion

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Cut bones from chops but reserve both meat and bones. Cut meat into one-inch cubes. Put meat and bones in small kettle and add chicken legs and thighs. Add water, quartered onion, garlic, salt, chilies and peppercorns. Bring to boil and cook, uncovered, 45 minutes or until meat is quite tender. Remove pork and chicken.
Step 2
When cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Cut meat into bite-size pieces.
Step 3
Strain broth into another small kettle or saucepan. Add meats, hominy and bring to boil.
Step 4
Meanwhile, shred lettuce, slice radishes, quarter lime and chop Bermuda onion. Serve in individual serving dishes, to be added to soup according to taste.
Step 5
Serve soup in individual heated soup bowls.