Party Posole Rojo Recipes

POZOLE ROJO

Steps:

• Diced avocado, crema, crumbled queso fresco, thinly sliced green cabbage, chopped white onion, sliced radishes, fried tortilla strips, dried chile de arbol and lime wedges, for serving
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Arrange the ancho, guajillo, pasilla and morita chiles on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and toast until beginning to brown (being careful not to char) and very fragrant and smells like toasted nuts, about 5 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.
• Increase the oven to 450 degrees F. Spread the hominy in an even layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast, tossing once, until lightly toasted, very fragrant and just beginning to brown on the edges of the baking sheet, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on the two largest sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.
• Add the garlic, onions and 6 1/2 teaspoons salt to the same pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the toasted chiles, oregano, peppercorns, clove and 10 cups water to the pot and bring to a boil. Nestle the pork into the pot; the liquid should come halfway up the sides of the pork. Arrange the cilantro, mint and bay leaves around the pork. Cover, reduce to low and cook until the pork is very tender and shreds easily, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Remove and discard the cilantro, mint and bay leaves. Transfer the pork to a large plate. When cool enough to handle, shred the pork into large pieces. Loosely cover with plastic wrap.
• Working in batches, puree the cooking broth and aromatics in a blender until completely smooth and no large pieces of chile remain. Season to taste.
• Wipe the pot clean. Add the chile puree and toasted hominy and simmer over medium heat, uncovered, until the flavors meld, the broth is rich and the hominy has plumped up and is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Stir the reserved pork into the pozole and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Divide the posole among bowls. Top with desired toppings and a squeeze of lime.
• The posole can be made up to 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

POSOLE ROJO

Steps:

• Break the stems off the chiles de arbol and ancho chiles and shake out as many seeds as possible. Put the chiles in a bowl and cover with boiling water; weigh down the chiles with a plate to keep them submerged and soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chiles and 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid to a blender. Add the smashed garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pushing the sauce through with a rubber spatula; discard the solids.
• Rub the pork all over with the cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high. Push the onion and garlic to one side of the pot; add the pork to the other side and sear, turning, until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in 2 cups water, the chicken broth, oregano, bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the chile sauce (depending on your taste). Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Partially cover and cook, turning the pork a few times, until tender, about 3 hours.
• Stir in the hominy and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the pork starts falling apart, about 1 more hour. Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the pork to a cutting board; roughly chop and return to the pot. Add some water or broth if the posole is too thick. Season with salt. Serve with assorted toppings and the remaining chile sauce.