Chicken Pozole Rojo for Daring Cooks

I realize that some (well okay most) might consider this a soup, however it is more than that, much more - a stew, a braise, a hearty meal garnished with fresh herbs and vegetables, a Mexican National treasure.  So, maybe I can be excused.  Originally  from the state of Guerrero, Mexico, where pozole, is practically the state dish. While in California and New Mexico pozole is traditionally served on Christmas eve, in Guerrero it is served every Thursday and Saturday, all year long..  I think I could handle that.

Dry hominy corn kernels, which add an incomparable corn flavor to this soup, are soaked overnight and next day cooked for several hours, (though many recipes just call for canned hominy and you can do that) then added to the meat, which has been braised separately.  It can be pozole blanco, in which case chicken is used and there are no red chilies or tomatoes in the braise.  So rojo, as you might have gathered, is red.  Previously I had made a pork version, which was delicious, and so wanted to try chicken this time. 

This was soooo good, I especially enjoyed the contrast of a savory stew with the fresh toppings, an assortment including slices of avocado, radishes, cabbage, onions, tomatoes and cilantro.  With tortilla chips on the side.

World Cup Green-Chile Pozole

This was my salute to the World Cup winners.  Not, that I'm a soccer fan, mind you, but it was blaring on the TV from early on Sunday.  And, as I was fixing a Dutch Baby for breakfast, Bob said there needed to be something Spanish on the menu.  So, I had a Sangria with mine, made with Alto del Carmen for the Brandy, I might add, and a Spanish red, so what more could anyone ask?  Well, dinner I guess, in honor of the World Cup winner.  It was going to be Green-Chile Pozole. New Spain, to be sure, but still....

I was in the Dr.'s office Friday, waiting for my x-ray, and read the recipe in Martha Stewart.  So, I was intending to make this before ever the Soccer Cup was in my consciousness at all.  Also, the ingredients duly noted down, were purchased before Sunday.  And, as I had assumed, the recipe was available on Martha's handy site, so no need to purloin the waiting room copy.  Not that I would, heh heh.

There didn't seem to be any dried hominy available locally, so I used the canned, which worked out fine.  It was a hearty, comforting and delicious dish.  Topped with cubes of fresh avocado, cilantro and thinly sliced onions, diced tomato if desired.  It is one of those dishes that cook slowly, filling the house with tempting smells all day, while you lay about relaxing and watching World Cup Soccer, or not.  Thank you Sunny, for pulling all the pork.  Yea Spain!