Rachael's Daytime Talk Show
Vegetable Posole -- 02/02/12

Vegetable Posole

Ingredients

  • For the Salsa Verde:
  • 2 large poblano peppers or 3 green New Mexican chilies
  • 2 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 6 to 7 medium tomatillos, paper husk removed and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/3 palmful
  • 1 teaspoon coriander, 1/3 palmful
  • Salt and pepper
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • For the posole:
  • About 3 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil
  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms, chopped or thinly sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, half a palmful
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander, half a palmful
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano, half a palmful, lightly crushed
  • 1 teaspoon epazote, 1/3 palmful, lightly crushed (optional)
  • 1/2 bottle Mexican beer
  • 2 cups homemade or store-bought salsa verde
  • 2 14-ounce cans hominy, drained
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • Cilantro leaves and thinly sliced scallions or chopped raw red onion, for garnish

Yields: 4-6

Preparation

To make the salsa, char peppers over an open flame or under a hot broiler. Place fully charred peppers in bowl, cover with plastic wrap until cool. Peel, seed and reserve.

Heat oil, about 2 tablespoons, in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, and stir a few minutes. Add tomatillos, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper, and cook 10 minutes more until a sauce forms and thickens. Add mixture to a food processor or blender with lime juice and honey. Process until fairly smooth.

For posole, heat oil, about 3 tablespoons, in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and brown well, 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, cumin, coriander, oregano, epazote if using, and stir a minute more. Deglaze with beer. Add salsa, hominy and stock, and simmer over low heat until ready to serve.

Serve in shallow bowls topped with garnishes and charred tortillas on side.