Green Chile Pork Posole

Yield: 4-6 servings

Posole is a traditional Mexican stew made with hominy, and in this case, pork. Tomatillos, a standard ingredient in Mexican kitchens, are small, green, tomato-like fruits with a husk on them. When in season, you can find them in the produce section. You can also find them canned, year-round, in the Latin section of the supermarket – along with the hominy. I like serving this dish with warm corn tortillas, shredded cheese, and chopped tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1-pound pork tenderloin, cut into bite size cubes
• 5 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
• 1 15-ounce cans white or golden hominy, rinsed and drained
• 12 ounces fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed, coarsley chopped
• 2 7-ounce cans diced mild green chiles, drained
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus additional for garnish

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, and garlic. Saute until soft, about 7 minutes.
2. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add pork to pot; cook until no longer pink on the outside, stirring often, about 3 minutes.
3. Add 5 cups broth and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered until meat is tender, broth is reduced to a thick sauce, and flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about an hour. Thin with additional broth, if desired.
4. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, sprinkle with additional cilantro, and serve.

Source: Bon Appetit/Red Mountain Resort & Spa