Name: Green Pork Posole Bowl
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: MexicanAmerican
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; 8 ounces ground pork; 1 small onion , chopped fine; 1 poblano chile , stemmed, seeded, and chopped; 1 jalapeño , stemmed, seeded, and minced; 1 (12-ounce) can whole tomatillos , drained; 2 garlic cloves , minced; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 (15-ounce) can white or yellow hominy , rinsed; 1 tomato , cored and cut into ½-inch pieces; 1 ounce queso fresco , crumbled (¼ cup); ¼ cup popped popcorn (optional); 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

For an everyday bowl inspired by Mexican green posole, a typically long-simmered pork and hominy stew, we exchanged slow-cooking pork shoulder for ground pork and used two types of chile peppers—poblano and jalapeño—for complex spiciness. Tomatillos form the classic base for a green posole; to achieve the perfect chunky consistency, we mashed canned tomatillos and simmered them with our other ingredients until the stew thickened slightly and the flavors melded. Toppings of queso fresco and chopped tomato gave the posole bright, fresh flavor.

Before You Begin

Both white hominy and yellow hominy will work in this stew; however, we prefer the deeper flavor of white hominy here. To make this dish spicier, include the seeds from the chiles.

Instructions

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add 8 ounces ground pork; 1 small finely chopped onion; 1 stemmed, seeded and chopped poblano; and 1 stemmed, seeded and minced jalapeño and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsely mash 1 (12-ounce) can tomatillos with potato masher in bowl; set aside.

Stir 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne into pork mixture in saucepan and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in mashed tomatillos, 2 cups chicken broth, and 1 (15-ounce) can hominy, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until stew is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide soup among individual serving bowls then top with 1 cored tomato cut into ½-inch pieces, ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco and ¼ cup popped popcorn and 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, if using. Serve immediately.