New Mexico Red Chile Posole

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried posole corn, or 2 cans hominy, 29 oz each
• 3 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup ground New Mexico red chile
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 10 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced

Before you cook

• Soak the dried posole corn in cold water overnight, then drain it.
• Cut the pork shoulder into 1-inch cubes.
• Chop the yellow onion and mince the garlic.
• Shred the cabbage, dice the white onion, slice the radishes and chop the cilantro.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.
2. Brown the pork in two batches, about 6 minutes a batch, and set it aside.
3. Add the chopped yellow onion to the pot and cook 6 minutes until golden.
4. Stir in the garlic, ground red chile, oregano and cumin and cook 45 seconds, taking care not to scorch the chile.
5. Return the pork to the pot with the drained posole corn, water, bay leaves and salt.
6. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and drop to a slow simmer.
7. Cook for 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until the corn kernels have burst open and the pork shreds under a spoon.
8. Pull out the bay leaves and taste the broth for salt.
9. Ladle the posole into deep bowls with plenty of broth.
10. Set out cabbage, white onion, radishes, cilantro and lime wedges for each person to add at the table.