Pozole Rojo - Pork and Hominy Stew

This is a labor intensive recipe for those who like to cook and eat well. Pozole is often served at Christmas or the New Year. My mom declares this her favorite recipe. If the stew gets too thick you can add a can of chicken broth. I find it tastes best with a squeeze of lime. From the September 2007 issue of Gourmet magazine.

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1  bunch mint (1 ounce)
• 1  bunch cilantro (1 ounce)
• 4  lbs country-style pork ribs (not lean)
• 10  cups water
• 26  garlic cloves, peeled, divided (about 1 1/2 heads)
• 1 (1/2lb)  white onion, quartered, plus 1/2 cup, chopped
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
• 5  whole black peppercorns
• 2  ounces  dried guajillo chilies (6 to 9) or 2  ounces  new mexico peppers, wiped clean (6 to 9)
• 1 1⁄2 ounces dried ancho chiles, wiped clean (2 to 4)
• 1  whole clove
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 3 (15 ounce) cans hominy, rinsed and drained (also called pozole)

• Accompaniments

•  diced avocados or   crema or  queso fresco
•  thinly sliced iceberg lettuce or  romaine lettuce or   chopped  white onions or   sliced radishes or   fried corn tortilla strips or  tortilla chips or  lime wedges or  dried oregano or   dried hot red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Tie together mint and cilantro with kitchen string.
2. Bring pork and water to a boil in a large pot, skimming froth, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add tied herbs, 20 garlic cloves, quartered onion, oregano, peppercorns, and 2 teaspoons salt and gently simmer, uncovered, until pork is very tender, about 2 hours.
3. Strain broth through a large sieve into a large heatproof bowl. Return broth to pot. Discard mint and cilantro.
4. Transfer cooked onion and garlic to a blender with 1 1/2 cups broth and purée until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Add purée to broth. Discard bones and coarsely shred pork into broth.
5. Meanwhile, slit chiles lengthwise, then stem and seed. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot, then toast chiles in batches, opened flat, turning and pressing with tongs, until more pliable and slightly changed in color, about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to a bowl and pour 2 1/2 cups boiling water over chiles. Soak, covered, until softened, about 30 minutes.
6. Purée chiles with 1 1/2 cups soaking liquid, chopped onion, remaining 6 garlic cloves, clove, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in cleaned blender until a smooth paste forms, about 2 minutes.
7. Heat oil in cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then add chile paste (it will spatter) and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
8. Add chile paste and hominy and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt.
9. Cooks' note: Pozole can be made 3 days ahead. Chill, uncovered, to cool, then cover.