Posole: Mexican chicken and hominy soup

One of the great joys of my life in food is meeting other food writers in amazing places. This winter, I had the great pleasure of spending an amazing week at a writing workshop in Tepotzlan, Mexico at Cocinar Mexicano. Iconic food writer Betty Fussell lead a spectacular group of women through the birth of some great writing projects.

Tepotzlan is nestled in the mountains of central Mexico and the stunning scenery lends a magical air. And it is the loudest place I have ever visited. I was there for the festival of the Three Kings, which went on for days, but there were several other festivals that week as well. Locals assured us that with the different barrio festivals, saints’ days and general holidays, there is pretty much a festival every week of the year. The sounds of bands playing in processions, cars honking in celebration, dogs barking with excitement, church bells pealing and intermittent bursts of fireworks makes the town a cacophonous but joyous place. The experience inspired me and opened my mind and really got my creative juices flowing.

Adding to the wall-to-wall inspiration was some of the best food I’ve had the pleasure to eat. The central market is bursting with chilies of every type, fresh and dried, and more varieties of corn than I can begin to list. Stallholders make and sell fresh tortillas made to order from that corn, filled with all manner of delicious things. I ate squash blossoms every day, sampled several delicious mole sauces, experienced huitlachoce (a rich, mushroomy corn fungus) in all manner of dishes and even crunched on some fried crickets. I learned to make tamales and tortillas myself, and reveled in devouring the results.

But I knew pozole was the dish I would try to re-create at home. I had a number of versions of this classic Mexican hominy soup, at the cooking school, the lovely hotel and in the market. Some were red with chiles, others were so rustic, the bones were still in the bowl. I had it with pork, chicken and a combination of the two. The prettiest and freshest version was served by the wonderful cooks at Cocinar Mexicano,  a simple, rich, flavorful broth with tender meat and hominy , served with a beautiful array of toppings. And this dish is all about the toppings. Bright and colorful with different textures, they elevate this soup. This is interactive eating at its best. I had never had radishes as a soup garnish, but I am a convert and I promise the slight peppery crunch adds a wonderful touch.

Posole (Mexican Chicken and Hominy Soup)

Serves 6

When I make stock and want to include the meat in the finished dish, I use chicken pieces instead of a whole bird because you end up with more meat.  You’ll have some leftover, which is never a bad thing.

3 bone-in, skin on chicken breasts

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

3 ounces salt pork

1 large white onion, cut in half

3 celery sticks, cut in half

2 carrots, cut in half

1 jalapeno pepper

1 red pepper, like Fresno

1 head garlic, cloves separated

7 – 8 stems cilantro

2 limes, cut in half

1 (30-ounce) can white hominy

Toppings:

Finely diced radishes

Diced avocado

Finely diced red onion (I soak the diced onions in water about 30 minutes to take away the bite)

Chopped cilantro

Crumbled queso fresco cheese

Lime wedges

Crispy fried tortilla strips or crushed chips

Chili powder

1. Place the chicken pieces, pork and vegetables, cilantro and lime in a large (at least 7-quart) Dutch oven or stock pot.  Add 12 cups of water.  Bring almost to a boil over high heat, turn down to low, cover the pot and simmer for 4 to 6 hours, until you have a nice, rich stock.

2. Line a large colander with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl. Remove the chicken pieces to another bowl or plate, then carefully strain the stock through the colander. Let the stock cool, then skim the fat from the top. I always refrigerate the stock, then simply remove the solidified fat from the top of the liquid.

3. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones, removing any fat or gristle as you go. Shred the chicken into thick strands.

4. You can make the stock up to two days ahead. Place the chicken meat in a zip-top bag, cover the stock and keep in the fridge.

5. When ready to serve, transfer the stock to a large pot and bring to a simmer. Rinse the hominy thoroughly and drain. Add to the simmering stock, cover and cook for 30 minutes until the hominy is tender. Add about 4 cups of shredded chicken and simmer until heated through.

6. Spoon the soup into large bowls, making sure there is plenty of hominy and chicken in each bowl.

7. Serve with the beautiful array of toppings for everyone to add as they please.