Pozole Verde de Pollo

Ingredients

• 1.2kg bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 1 white onion, halved
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 2.5 litres water
• 900g cooked white hominy, drained
• 150g raw hulled pumpkin seeds
• 500g tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 3 jalapeño chiles, stemmed
• 2 serrano chiles, stemmed
• 1/2 white onion, extra
• 3 garlic cloves, extra
• 1 large bunch coriander, stalks and all
• 1 small bunch epazote leaves
• 2 hoja santa leaves, or 1 extra bunch of coriander
• 80g baby spinach or radish tops
• 2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 100g chicharrón, broken into shards
• 8 radishes, sliced
• 1/2 white onion, finely diced, to serve
• 3 limes, cut into wedges
• 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano, to serve

Before you cook

• Halve the onion and peel all the garlic.
• Husk the tomatillos and rinse off the sticky film.
• Wash the coriander, epazote, hoja santa and spinach and shake them dry.
• Drain and rinse the hominy.
• Slice the radishes, dice the extra onion and cut the limes into wedges.

Steps

1. Put the chicken, onion halves, six garlic cloves, bay leaves and two teaspoons of salt into a large pot with 2.5 litres of cold water.
2. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and skim off the foam.
3. Simmer the chicken for thirty-five minutes, until it is cooked through and the broth tastes of something.
4. Lift the chicken onto a board and strain the broth back into the pot.
5. Shred the chicken meat off the bones in big pieces and discard the skin and bones.
6. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat for four minutes, shaking constantly, until they puff, pop and turn one shade darker. Do not let them brown or the pozole will taste burnt.
7. Tip the seeds onto a cold plate to stop them cooking.
8. Put the tomatillos, jalapeños, serranos, the extra half onion and three garlic cloves in a saucepan, cover with water and boil for eight minutes, until the tomatillos turn olive green and soften.
9. Drain them and let them cool for five minutes.
10. Blend the cooled tomatillos and chiles with the toasted pumpkin seeds, coriander, epazote, hoja santa, spinach and 400ml of the chicken broth until completely smooth.
11. Heat the lard in the large pot over medium-high heat.
12. Pour in the green purée all at once and fry it for ten minutes, stirring without stopping, until it darkens slightly and thickens.
13. Pour in the rest of the broth and stir until smooth.
14. Add the hominy and simmer, uncovered and stirring often, for twenty-five minutes.
15. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and heat it through for five minutes.
16. Taste and season with salt. The broth should be thick enough to cling lightly to a spoon and taste bright and green rather than heavy.
17. Ladle into deep bowls and top each one with sliced avocado and a handful of chicharrón shards.
18. Serve the radish, diced onion, oregano and lime wedges alongside for people to add themselves.