Cold days call for this simple and satisfying pozole verde
Forty-One Thousand Five Hundred just doesn't have the same ring to it
Mary and I went over to our friends’ place to play some games and Rachel made a cauldronful of some truly outstanding pozole verde (if you’re wondering if this is turning into a newsletter that should be renamed “The Eighty-Three Thousand, 41,500 of which are soups,” I mean, it’s autumn in Chicago and you-know-what is coming, just enjoy all the soup content for a while, you’ll thank me later.)
Anyhoo. Whether you prefer yours red or green, pork or chicken-based, pozole is a relatively easy soup to make that is surprisingly complex in taste and texture, especially when accompanied by the traditional toppings of fresh, crunchy veggies like green cabbage, scallion and radish. While I like a porky pozole rojo, my buddy’s recipe for a steaming bowl of rich broth, green and smoky from roasted tomatillos, bobbing with tender hominy kernels and bits of chicken thigh is hard to beat.
I’ve made some slight tweaks here, but this is winner is mostly Rachel’s. Enjoy.
Rachel’s Pozole Verde.
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Bring the following to a boil, then simmer for about an hour or so — until the chicken is cooked through and shreddable:
7 cups of water
6 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base (I realize you could use your own stock here or even store-bought, but I encourage you to give BTB a try if you haven’t before. It’s many, many steps up from store-bought stock and while not as good as a good homemade stock, it definitely delivers.),
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (though you could definitely go with regular bone-in if you want a little more body and don’t mind a little more skimming)
fresh thyme and oregano
2 teaspoons crushed coriander seed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
4-6 cloves garlic, sliced in half
1/2 sweet or yellow onion, minced
Meanwhile, toss the following in a little high-smoke-point oil like canola, and roast at 425°F for 15-25 minutes, depending on your oven (tossing occasionally to prevent burning):
2 pounds of tomatillos (husks removed)
3 or 4 poblano peppers
2 serrano peppers
When chicken is fully cooked, remove from pot and shred. Feel free to dust with a little smoked paprika and pepper.
When tomatillos and peppers have browned, softened, and collapsed, remove from oven and puree in a food processor along with salt and a handful of fresh cilantro. (IMPORTANT: if using a blender instead of a food processor, start blending at a low speed and increase very, very carefully — hot liquid in a blender can literally explode on you if you’re not careful.)
Pour the puree into the broth along with the shredded chicken.
Add 2 15-ounce cans or one large 29-ounce can of hominy (rinsed) and simmer until ready to eat.
Serve with:
fresh cilantro
avocado
sliced radishes
shredded red cabbage
flaky sea salt
toasted or at least warm tortillas, or at least a crusty bread of your choice.
Enjoy, friends!
— Theo
If you’ve read this far, and this often — you’ve probably been enjoying The83K for the length of our brief existence. Won’t you help us get bigger and better and become a Patron?
Thank you for subscribing to and spending time with The83k. This newsletter will remain free for you, friends and food fans, who are enjoying the food coverage here — but I’m hoping to offer in broader and more in-depth stories and features in the future (like the interview above.) I'd like to dedicate more time to it and make it a sustainable concern for everyone who wants more of that delicious, useful content (and frequent roundups of everything you like about food.)
Please consider becoming a Patron and help make The83k bigger and better.
OH AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF PERKS, TOO.
Also: if you don't want to subscribe, or just want to make a one-time donation – OR want all the goodies but don't want to use Patreon, please feel free to use this link: paypal.me/theohahn
Again: thank you, friends!