Nixtamal, another name for hominy, comes from pre-Columbian people who discovered that soaking corn in an alkaline solution made it more nutritious. The resulting kernels are puffy, chewy, and distinctly flavorful. You can usually find the dried version in the bean section of your grocery store, and many stores carry it frozen. If you must use canned hominy, drain and rinse it well and add it in the last hour of cooking. Posole is a winter holiday tradition throughout the Borderlands. Serve with your choice of garnishes and warm flour tortillas.
Cooking
2 cups dried hominy, or (1) 29-ounce can
2 pounds boneless pork loin
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup red chile powder
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt to taste
Garnish: cilantro, minced onions, sliced radishes, finely shredded cabbage, diced avocado, lime wedges
Cover hominy with water; soak overnight.
Cut pork loin into 1-inch cubes. Mix together flour, salt, and pepper; dredge pork cubes in mixture until evenly coated.
Heat oil over high heat in large Dutch oven or stock pot. Cook pork in batches until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Add onion to pot, stir until transparent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook for 1 more minute. Return pork to pot, add red chile powder, stir until pork is well and evenly coated. Add water, cumin, and oregano.
Drain soaked hominy and add to pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 3 hours or until pork and hominy are tender. If necessary, add more water. Salt to taste in the last 30 minutes.
