Flavors of the Sun: Flavors of the Sun Cooking School

Green Posole with Garlic-Lime Shrimp

Note: Please forgive. My "centering" button isn't functioning for some reason and when I do it by hand, it seems not to translate, coming out crooked and weird.

Green Posole (Pozole) with Garlic-Lime Shrimp

by Victoria Challancin

The delights of Mexican cooking are seemingly endless to me, but one dish that holds a firm hold in my heart is posole (also pozole). The word posole simply means "hominy," which is dried corn that has been soaked in an alkaline mineral lime solution, which softens the kernels and loosens the hulls. But posole also refers to a rich stew made from the hominy that is served throughout Mexico, varying in style and color from region to region, home to home.

Small restaurants, called posolerias (yes, also pozolerias) can be found all over Mexico. (One of my favorites is in the city of Oaxaca, which when I first discovered it, changed my eating life forever--I have also sought out similar places whenever possible and have never been disappointed, but I digress). The only dish served in these specialty restaurants is, of course, posole--usually in all three flavors: red, green, and white.

Before I give you this startlingly delicious recipe, let me give you a little background, because, Dear Readers, you know that is what I do!

What is Hominy, Anyway?
Simply put, hominy is simply dried corn that has been soaked in an alkaline solution, which, as I said above, loosens the hulls from the kernels and also softens the kernels themselves. In Mexico, this process is called nixtamalization, or nixtamal (a process that has been around for thousands of years), and is usually accomplished by using a solutions of calcium hydroxide, or cal. My own grandmother slaked her own corn using an alkaline mix of water and wood ash. However it is done, it produces an ingredient that is indispensable in the cooking of Mexico; without it, we wouldn't have corn tortillas or any of the other delicious dishes made with corn masa, the dough made from the treated corn which is mixed with water.

Why is hominy so healthy? The process of nixtamalizing the corn makes the nutrient niacin more easily assimilated by the digestive tract, rendering it more nutritious.

How is Hominy Used?

To make corn tortillas
To make tamales
To make atole, a thick drink made from ground nixtamalized corn with milk or water and the addition of chocolate, vanilla, pilloncillo (unrefined sugar) and other flavors
To make posole, a rich stew made of pork, chicken, or seafood
To make grits, that Southern dish dear to my heart
To make a variety of Mexican antojitos, or little cravings, most of which are made from corn
Corn tortilla tacos
Tostadas
Quesadillas
Chalupas, sopes, gorditas, and on and on--so many delicious corn-based dishes to choose from here in Mexico

What is Posole, the dish?
Basically, posole is a stew made from hominy, which can be based on chicken, pork, or seafood--or a combination. It is often served at celebrations in Mexico.

There are three main types:

Posole verde--this green version could contain tomatillos, epazote, cilantro, green chiles, and green pumpkin seeds
Posole rojo--the type of posole most popular here in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, where I live, is made from one or several dried red chiles, such as guajillo, piquin, or ancho.
Posole verde--(my favorite) is made without any additional red or green sauce

The marinating Garlic-Lime Shrimp

The Garnishes
One of the joys of eating this stew is the plate of garnishes that accompanies it. There are regional variations, but a common selection of ingredients would be:

Avocado
Limes
Cilantro
Onion (white only, please)
Shredded iceberg lettuce or cabbage
Radishes
Tostadas or pork rind
Sour cream (occasionally served to spread on the tostada)
Dried oregano, a must
Finely diced serrano or jalapeño chile (not in the picture, but we did use it)

My garnishes from l to r: tostadas, cilantro, onion, iceberg lettuce, dried oregano, radishes, lime, and avocado

About this Recipe
What caught my eye with this recipe is marinating and cooking of the shrimp apart from the basic soup/stew. It is so easy to overcook shrimp, I knew I would love this technique, and I did. The result of the separate cooking of the shrimp and the addition of some of the uncooked chile/tomatillo mixture yielded a bright, fresh flavor. Utterly delicious.

A bowl of the finished dish

Another bowl of yum, using local Mexican ceramics

Recipe: Green Posole with Garlic-Lime Shrimp

(Recipe inspired by and adapted from ahappyfooddance.com and epicurious.com)

Serves 4 to 6

Cooks notes: I played with both of the versions mentioned here and came up with this. Canned hominy is probably already soft and may just need heating (I have never used it and don't really know). In class we used a plastic pouch of pre-cooked hominy that still needed to be cooked for at least a half an hour. Regardless of the type you use, the result will be chewy with a slightly nutty flavor.

Green posole:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, chopped (white onion would be more authentic)

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced, divided

8-10 medium tomatillos (a little over a pound), husks removed and rinsed

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for serving

1 15-ounce can white hominy, rinsed (or a prepared pouch of pre-cooked hominy)

4 cups chicken broth

1 8-ounce bottle clam juice (optional, as I can't find it here; instead, I tossed a few of the shrimp shells in the chicken broth and simmered it for 5 to 10 minutes)

Garlic-lime shrimp:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, whole

½ teaspoons crushed red pepper

16-20 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (500g)

1 lime, zested and juiced

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper, to taste

Garnishes:

Tostados

Radishes, trimmed and sliced thin

Cilantro, chopped

1/2 avocado per serving, or a bowl of cubed or sliced avocado

Dried oregano

Iceberg lettuce, sliced thin

Chopped red or white onion

lime wedges, for serving

To prepare green posole: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic, and half of the serrano chiles, stirring occasionally until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.

While the garlic, shallot and chilies are cooking, puree the tomatillos in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Add half of the tomatillo puree to the garlic mixture and cook, stirring often, until the mixture has started to thicken, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add 1 cup cilantro to food processor or blender and puree until smooth, set aside.

Add the hominy, chicken broth and/or clam juice to the pot and bring to a simmer. Gently cook over medium-low heat for about 8-10 minutes (this will depend on the type of hominy used).

Remove from heat and stir in the remaining tomatillo-cilantro puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To prepare garlic lime shrimp: While the soup is simmering, in a large skillet over medium heat, add oil, garlic and crushed red pepper. As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, add shrimp.

Let shrimp cool about 90 seconds and then flip, add lime juice and cilantro. Cook just until shrimp are cooked throughout, about 90 more seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Divide soup among bowls and top with radishes, cilantro, remaining chile and garlic lime shrimp. Serve with desired garnishes.

Parting Shot: A Purple, Feathery Catrina

Flavors of the Sun Cooking School

San Miguel de Allende, México

Bloody Mary Soup Sippers served in one of my Hand of Fatima Moroccan tea glasses which were actually bought with tequila in mind

Bloody Mary Soup Sippers with Grilled Cheese Skewers

by Victoria Challancin

If I do a bit of self examination, I would have to admit that when it comes to food, I am not often dazzled by "cuteness." With animals and children, yes. But "cute" food doesn't usually grab me. But when I saw these soup sippers on brit.co, I thought, "How cute!" And I didn't even cringe. And when I read these were the stuff brunch dreams are made of...well, I was sold. I knew I would teach my Mexican cooking students how to prepare them. Alongside any one of dozens of fabulous Mexican breakfast offerings, these would shine. And advertising them as a drink, an appetizer, or even an entree just sealed the deal.

Bloody Mary Soup Sippers with Grilled Cheese Skewers

These were seriously good and yes, the skewers elicited remarks like, "How cute!" And they were. The only thing I would change is that I would use real bacon and not turkey bacon. What was I thinking? I don't even like turkey bacon (see my note below for other suggestions).

A plate of skewers ready to adorn the soups

Recipe: Bloody Mary Soup Sippers with Grilled

Cheese Skewers

(Recipe adapted slightly from Brit+Co.com)

Serves 6 to 8 (more if using small serving vessels)

Is it a drink, an appetizer or even an entree? Perhaps it’s all three in one!

2 cans of crushed tomatoes

2 1/2 cups of chicken broth

1 1/2 cup tomato juice

1 onion

2 celery stalks, diced

3 garlic cloves, peeled

3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

2 tablespoons Tabasco

3 tablespoons honey mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon creamy horseradish

½ lime

½ lemon

Celery salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Vodka (optional--just kidding)

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a nonstick pan

Dice celery, onion and garlic, and sauté in heated pan until tender.

Pour the 2 cans of crushed tomato into the blender.

Transfer the sautéed onion, celery and garlic from the pan into the blender.

Add the Worcestershire, Tabasco, creamy horseradish, honey mustard and celery salt/pepper into the blender.

Mix the blender for about 1-2 minutes until everything is smooth. There shouldn’t be any chunks.

Place in a large pot and add your tomato juice and chicken broth. Add the contents from the blender into the pot. Add a squeeze of lemon and lime.

Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Check and adjust seasoning.

Once your soup is done, add your vodka and stir.

Serve hot or cold.

Skewers:

Grilled cheese sandwiches (I made 2)

1 ½-inch round cookie cutter

Turkey bacon or regular bacon (Seriously...use the real thing)

Green pitted olives

Pepperoncinis

Cornichons

Swizzle sticks or wooden skewers

1 lime, cut in half

Chile powder such as Tajin brand

Celery sticks, cut in half (optional)

Make two of your favorite grilled cheese sandwiches.

Fry some bacon cut into squares. Drain on paper towels..

Use a cookie cutter on the grilled cheese to make mini circular grilled cheeses. Start at the edge of the crust and work your way around to get as many full circles as you can.

Start loading up your skewer with olives, grilled cheese rounds, pepperoncinis, bacon and cornichons.

Run a lime across the rim of the glass so that the chili powder will stick.

Dip the rim of the glass in the chili powder to coat. Tap it to get rid of any excess powder.

Use a ladle to add soup to each of the bowls or glasses. Only fill it up ¾ to allow yourself enough space to add your skewer.

Place the skewer on top of the bowl and arrange the skewer ingredients so that it sits nicely on the glass.

Add a ½ stalk of celery, if you like.

Another note: I might have added a bit more spicing when I made these, because I just can't help myself.

In the background are guacamole-filled spring rolls with a cilantro dipping sauce. Yes.

Note: I love everything about these except that I used turkey bacon as the recipe suggested. There really is no excuse for turkey bacon. If you are going to eat bacon, just do it. The real thing. Though a bit of folded prosciutto or jamon serrano wouldn't go amiss.