Posole is dried corn treated with limestone, a traditional American food that predates the arrival of Europeans by some thousands of years. In its ground form it is the main ingredient in tortillas, but for some reason the whole kernels are largely ignored in this country outside of the Southwest. (Hominy, which is essentially the same thing, has a bit of a following in the South, but again mostly in its ground form: grits.) Posole is also the name of a soupy stew containing, well, posole. It can be varied in many ways, but it is always delicious and distinctive. If you have time, soak and cook the dried kernels yourself: Rinse the posole, then soak it in water to cover if time allows, for up to 12 hours; cook in boiling water to cover, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour and probably longer. Season with salt and drain. Canned posole (or hominy) is almost as good, and reduces the time it takes to make this soup to about an hour.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　4 cups precooked posole or canned hominy

　　1 pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into chunks

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1 tablespoon fresh oregano or marjoram leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

　　1 dried chipotle or 1 chipotle chile in adobo, or to taste

　　1 tablespoon ground cumin, or to taste

　　1 large onion, chopped

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

　　Lime wedges for serving

　　

Step 1

Combine the posole, pork, salt, pepper, oregano, chile, cumin, and onion in a saucepan that will hold them comfortably. Add water or some of the hominy cooking liquid to cover by about an inch and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but not violently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender, about an hour; add liquid if necessary.

　　

Step 2

Stir in the garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve in bowls—the mixture should be soupy—garnished with the cilantro and lime wedges.

　　

Posole with Pumpkin Seeds

Step 3

A traditional variation: Toast 1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas, page 612) in a small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently until the seeds pop and color slightly, about 5 minutes. Combine them with a bit of the broth in a blender and process until smooth. Stir them into the stew and heat through.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.