Receta Pozole Verde de Pollo is the winner!
Pozole Verde de Pollo is the winner!
There's an argument going on around here. What's the better hangover soup? Pozole or menudo (you also have your pho champions but I won't even acknowledge those philistines). In my book, it's pozole all the way. You have your delicious pork or chicken base (I made pozole verde de pollo). You have the delicious hominy kernels (corn soaked in lye - if that doesn't sound delicious to you, nothing will), meat, and vegetables. You also have all of your delicious garnishes that make up the bulk of the soup. I like to put jalapenos, radishes, avocado, and cilantro in my pozole. In fact, I wish I had a big bowl of my delicious pozole right now to get rid of this horrible hangover I've been cursed with. So sure, menudo is great but do you really want to eat a bowl of tripe named after a horrible 80's boy band for breakfast? Okay, so maybe the soup had the name first but I'm not going to argue semantics. All I know is that pozole is delicious and nutritious and is clearly the winner in the hangover cure debate. I rest my case. Oh, and by the way, pho is actually quite delicious when it's not made with dish water but we'll talk more about that later.
- Pozole Verde de Pollo
- 9 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large white onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs (you can use breast if you want / less flavor though)
- 1 lb tomatillos, husked
- 2 fresh jalapeño chiles, quartered
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 (15-oz) cans white hominy, rinsed and drained
Garnishes: sliced radish, sliced avocado, sliced jalapeno, cilantro, etc...
Bring 8 cups water, bay leaf, half of onion, half of garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil, covered, in a large heavy pot, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken and poach at a simmer, uncovered, skimming off any foam, until just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board to cool. Strain the broth and discard the solids. When the chicken cools shred it with a fork.
Simmer tomatillos and remaining onion in remaining cup water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain vegetables and purée in a blender with jalapeños, 1/4 cup cilantro, oregano, remaining garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add purée. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and meat and simmer 40 minutes
Serve in large bowls with garnishes. Watch your hangover disappear before your eyes.