Big Sky Posole Recipes

Steps:

• Soak the different colors of hominy in separate bowls of water overnight.
• In a small, dry skillet over high heat, roast the cumin and coriander seeds until they toast, about 2 minutes. When cool, grind in a food mill, mortar and pestle or clean coffee grinder.
• Strain the hominy and put each color variety in its own pot, generously covering with water. Add 1-ounce of the baking soda to each pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours. Add more water as needed. Check hominy for tenderness; it does not have to be completely cooked as it will be cooked further in the stew. Strain and rinse the hominy.
• While the hominy is cooking, soak the dried chiles in hot water. When softened, remove the seeds and stems, then dice.
• In a separate stockpot, heat the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic with the salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin and coriander until the onions are translucent. Add the diced tomatoes, tomatillos, chiles, vegetable stock and cooked hominy. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. The posole is done when the hominy is cooked through. Add the lime juice, cilantro, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Posole is also delicious for breakfast, served over cornbread with a poached egg on top.

Steps:

• Drain soaked hominy and put in large soup pot. Cover with water and bring to boil. Let simmer briskly for 1 hour.
• While hominy is cooking, make red chile purée: Toast dried chiles lightly in cast-iron skillet or stovetop grill, just until fragrant. Wearing gloves, slit chiles lengthwise with paring knife. Remove and discard stems and seeds. Put chiles in saucepan and cover with 4 cups water. Simmer 30 minutes and let cool. In blender, purée chiles to a smooth paste using some cooking water as necessary. Purée should be of milkshake consistency.
• Season pork belly and pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper. After posole has cooked 1 hour, add pork shoulder, pork belly, onion stuck with cloves, bay leaf, garlic and cumin. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches, then return to a brisk simmer. While adding water occasionally and tasting broth for salt, simmer for about 2 1/2 hours more, until meat is tender and posole grains have softened and burst. Skim fat from surface of broth.
• Stir in 1 cup chile purée and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning. (At this point, posole can be cooled completely and reheated later. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.)
• To serve, ladle posole, meat and broth into wide bowls. Pass bowls of diced onion, lime wedges, cilantro and oregano, and let guests garnish to taste.