Posole with Fresh Corn Gorditas

By TMarie

Posole, a Southwestern main-course soup, is typically made with pork shoulder that is simmered with hominy — large, dried corn kernels that have had their skin removed. Here, lean pork tenderloin is used.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (cut from 1 ear) or frozen kernels, thawed
• 2/3 cup masa harina or cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat (wholemeal) flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
• 3 to 4 tablespoons water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups vegetable stock or broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup dried hominy, soaked overnight and drained, or 3 cups canned hominy
• 3 Anaheim chilis, seeded, roasted and peeled, then chopped
• 1/2 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)
• Sliced radishes and red onions and shredded lettuce for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the corn kernels in a blender or food processor and pulse to puree partially. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the masa harina, flour, baking powder, red pepper flakes and salt and stir until well blended. Add the pureed corn and the 1 tablespoon canola oil and stir to combine. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Using a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 24 rounds. Arrange the rounds on a nonstick baking sheet and bake until light brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the gorditas to a wire rack to cool.

In a soup pot, heat the 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and lightly golden, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the stock, water and hominy. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until all the hominy kernels have burst, 75 to 85 minutes. (If using canned hominy, skip the long cooking and proceed directly to adding the chilis and pork.) Add the chilis and pork, return to a simmer, cover and cook until the pork is just faintly pink at the center, about 4 minutes. Add the gorditas to the soup pot, cover and let stand off the heat for 4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro.

Ladle into warmed individual bowls. Pass the radishes, onion and lettuce at the table.


Calories 285 Monounsaturated fat 4 g
Protein 13 g Cholesterol 25 mg
Carbohydrate 43 g Sodium 427 mg
Total fat 8 g Fiber 4 g
Saturated fat 1 g