I confess, this is not something I made today. Indeed, this is not even something I made. But I know how to make it, and was there in the kitchen watching. Once again, this is a recipe from Ben. We had this more than a week ago. I packed it for my lunch the next day and forgot the avocado, so imagine some chopped up avocado alongside the other toppings at the surface of the soup/stew. This is something that tastes even better the next day, in my opinion.

Pozole Rojo de Puerco

ingredients

4 pounds pork shoulder (or combination of 3 pounds pork shoulder with 1 pound bone-in pork ribs, chopped or cubed)

1 head of garlic, topped cut off

1/2 onion, chopped

4 quarts water, or could be combination of chicken broth and water

1 Tablespoon fresh oregano

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme

5 cloves

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

6 dried guajillo chiles

6 dried pasilla chiles

4 dried ancho chiles

1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1/4 onion

4 cloves garlic

2 (11 ounces each) cans corn, drained and rinsed

2 (30 ounce each) cans of hominy, drained and rinsed, or use fresh corn

serve with garnishes: chopped onions, cilantro, radishes, lettuce or cabbage, avocado, lemon or lime wedges and tostada

method:

Chop the top off of a head of the garlic only and then add to a large kettle with the water. In a small cheesecloth, add the fresh oregano, thyme, and marjoram, and cloves to center of cheesecloth, wrap and knot to create a small bag of the herbs and add to the kettle.

(You can also use dried herbs, just know that dried herbs are more concentrated, so you’ll need less amounts.)

Chop up pork and add to the kettle.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Keep to a simmer until tender, about 1 and 1/2 hour or so.

While the pork is simmering, prepare the chile sauce: Take 6 pasilla chiles, 6 guajillo chiles, and 4 ancho chiles, stem and discard the seeds, and pour enough boiling water over them in a glass bowl to cover. Let soak and tenderize, about 30 minutes. Turn once as needed. When skins of the chiles are tender, do not discard or drain water. Place the soaking water with the chiles in a blender and the 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt, 4 cloves of garlic and 1/4 onion. Blend into a sauce. Set aside until needed.

When pork is about an hour into simmering, add this to the pork, along with the corn, hominy, and continue to simmer for half an hour, or more, as needed. Add more salt as needed. Discard cheesecloth containing the herbs. Serve with garnishes of your choice, which could be a combination of the following: chopped onions, cilantro, radishes, lettuce or cabbage, avocado, lemon or lime wedges, and tostada. Enjoy!