Recipe: Jalisco-Style Red Pozole - Pozole Rojo Estilo Jalisco

Origin: Jalisco
Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus 15 minutes soaking
Cooking time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

 6 ancho chiles, seeded
2 teaspoons oregano
2 1/4 lb/1 kg hominy corn
1 garlic head
1 small white onion
10 bay leaves
sea salt
1 lb 2 oz/500 g loin or pork leg
1 lb 2 oz/500 g pig’s head
2 pig legs, cleaned and quartered

To serve:

12 lemons, quartered
oregano, to taste
piquin chile, to taste
1 white onion, finely chopped
1/2 lettuce, finely shredded
12 radishes, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl, combine the chiles and enough hot water to cover them and soak for 15 minutes. Put them with their soaking liquid into a food processor or blender, add 1 teaspoon oregano, and process until smooth. Strain, put into a frying pan or skillet, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

Put the garlic head, onion, bay leaf, remaining oregano, salt to taste and water into a large saucepan and cook over low-medium heat for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the meat, head, and legs in a large saucepan, add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 45 minutes, or until soft. Remove the meat and shred. Cut the meat from the head into bite-size cubes and set aside.

Add the corn to the garlic and onion stock and cook for 30 minutes, until the corn is fully soft. Add the chile paste and check the seasoning.

Ladle the soup into bowls, dividing the meat generously among each bowl. Serve with lemons, oregano, piquin chile, onion, lettuce, and sliced radishes.

Adapted from Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte, published by Phaidon