Green Posole

Soup is the solution to most, if not all, problems.  Spent a long day at work and now you need a quick, satisfying meal in less than thirty minutes?  A quick pureed winter squash soup is your best bet.  Fighting off a cold.  There's some truth to that whole chicken noodle soup thing!  Maybe you just are cold.  A big hearty bowl of minestrone will warm you right up.  If you're trying to lose weight, more soup is a smart idea.  Having a rough week, like we are here in the Hartley household?  Think of soup as the food equivalent of a nice warm hug.

I love soup, but it's rare I find a recipe I don't quickly tire of.  One is my mom's matzo ball soup, made from Thanksgiving leftovers.  Right now I'm hoarding the last remains of this years batch in the freezer.  Another I never get sick of is pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup, probably because the mix and match toppings make it taste a little different each time.  Maybe mixing up toppings is the secret to soup that stays exciting for days, because Mexican soups, with their fun assortment of toppings are the only other type I could eat forever. 

A couple months ago, I declared my tortilla soup the best tortilla soup ever.  I still stand by that claim.  Now I make the same dubious claim for this gorgeous green posole.


Posole is a traditional Mexican soup that can be traced back to a pre-Columbian origin.  It was considered sacred by Aztecs and other Mesoamericans, often consumed ritualistically on special occasions.  Disturbing factoid - and please don't let it destroy your appetite for this delicious soup - after sacrifices, human flesh was used to make posole.  Because they thought humans were made from maize (interestingly, they were kinda right), the soup took on special meaning.  Unless you're Hannibal Lector, lets pass on that ingredient.

The base of this soup is made from a puree of tomatillos, poblano chiles, jalapenos, and cilantro, giving it a vibrant green color.  It is rich, flavorful and tangy.  The soup itself is rather brothy, but the toppings make it more substantial.  It's a good way to use up random leftovers you might have on hand.  My favorite toppings?

Diced or sliced radish
Shredded cabbage
Fried tortilla strips
Hot sauce
Avocado
Sour cream or plain yogurt
Cilantro
Smoked chili flakes
Green onions
Cooked brown rice
Grilled squash
Chopped green olives
Feta cheese or queso fresco
Pepitas
Charred corn
Lime wedges
 

Green Posole

Serves 4-6

Adapted from Feasting at Home

3/4 cup lean pork, preferably organic and pastured, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth, low sodium
1 cup water
1 lb tomatillos, husked and quartered
1 large onion, quartered
3 poblano chilies, seeded and quartered
2 jalapenos, seeded and halved
6 large garlic cloves
1 whole bunch of cilantro, stems cut off about an inch or two from the leaves
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
5 cups cooked hominy, or 4 14-ounce cans rinsed and drained
Your choice of toppings (see above)

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat.  While it's heating, season pork with salt and pepper.  Add to the oil and brown on all sides.  Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook until pork is cooked through, about 8 minutes.

In a blender, blend the tomatillos, onion, poblano, jalapenos, garlic, and cilantro with 1 cup of water until it is pureed.

Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet on medium.  Add 2/3 of the puree and cook, stirring frequently, until it turns a darker green, about 8-10 minutes.  If you prefer it a lighter, more vibrant green, cook it until it just starts to turn dark green.

Meanwhile, blend the remaining cup of hominy with the remaining puree.  Blend until smooth. 

Pour the cooked puree into the pot with the broth and pork.  Season with salt, pepper, cumin and coriander.  Add 4 cups of hominy to the pot.  Season with salt, pepper, cumin and coriander.  Cook over medium heat to warm through.

Right before serving, pour in the remaining puree.  Top with your choice of toppings.