"*" See Kitchen Notes for more information or links to special ingredients.
Prep and Cook time varies. For fresh or frozen posole, allow 2 hours. If you use canned hominy, allow 45 minutes.
If using fresh or frozen posole, add 1 - 2 Tbsp. olive to the pot over medium low. When hot, add the onion and cook until translucent.
Add 6 cups water/stock to a soup pot and bring to a boil. Add the posole, garlic, chile powders, oregano, and cumin/coriander mix. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for an hour or longer until just tender.
In another skillet saute the chorizo quickly on high heat until browned (a couple of minutes). Add to the soup pot after the posole has cooked for an hour. (go to "Finishing Instructions")
Top with any or all of the following: chopped cilantro, sliced radish, queso fresco or cotija cheese, chopped scallion, red chile or salsa, avocado, additional lime.
Posole – In Mexican markets and most groceries in New Mexico, you can find frozen, dry, and sometimes, fresh posole. A pound of fresh or frozen posole yields a little over 3 cups of cooked posole; whereas, a pound of dried posole yields about 6 cups of cooked posole. Frozen and fresh posole are cooked using like methods (the method used in this recipe). Dried posole needs to be soaked overnight and then pre-cooked for at least 2 hours before adding additional ingredients.
Hominy - As previously mentioned, you can also substitute the posole with canned hominy. Since canned hominy is already cooked, using it eliminates that initial hour of cooking for fresh/frozen posole; therefore, allowing this soup to be made in less than 45 minutes!
Water and Stock – The amount given in the posole with chorizo recipe is not exact because, as posole cooks, it absorbs quite a bit of water and some of the water evaporates. So just keep adding water and/or stock as needed to achieve a “soup” consistency. If you use hominy, 6 cups is probably all you need. As far as how much of which, use what you have or want to use. I normally use a ratio of 1:1 (water:stock).
Mushrooms – Button mushrooms, baby bellas or white, work best because of their meaty texture. Cut the mushrooms in small wedges or slices, your preference.
Swiss Chard – Kale or spinach can be used in place of Swiss chard. Other greens might be too strong in flavor and end up competing with the other flavors in the stew.
Smoked Chile Powder – As mentioned, any smoked chile powder works (e.g., chipotle, smoked paprika, serrano). Just be aware of the heat level. Chipotle and serrano can be pretty hot, so you might need to adjust the amount used for your heat tolerance.
Vegetarian Version - Omit the chorizo.
To serve a crowd - Make the vegetarian version, then provide bowls of topping with a selection of ingredients: cooked chorizo or smoked pulled pork, cilantro, thin slices of radishes, feta, cotija or queso fresco, red or green chile.
Recipe author: MJ of MJ's Kitchen