Pozole Blanco
Pozole is one of Mexico’s most traditional foods, dating back to pre-Hispanic times. It gets its name from the word “foam” since the dried corn kernels “bloom” in boiling water, causing a light foam to appear. Depending on which region of Mexico, there are different methods of preparing pozole. Most is cooked with pork or chicken, with either red or green sauce. But in Colima, Mexico pozole is made without any sauce, which is why it’s called pozole blanco. The dried corn is cooked with either pork or chicken bones, maintaining its white color. It’s also served drier than most other pozole dishes, with a serving of shredded pork or chicken, pickled onions, and a squeeze of lime. I particularly like pozole blanco because the flavor of the corn isn’t overpowered by chile sauce, and I can enjoy the taste the delicious corn. In Manzanilla I sampled my first bowl of pozole blanco with a mound of shredded chicken and it was delightful. Be sure to use dried pozole (also called hominy) instead of the canned variety. When it cooks, the kernels absorb all the flavors of the broth. And don’t skimp on the pickled onions!
Ingredients
Serves 6-8
Pozole
6 cups dried hominy (nixtamalized dried corn)
1 small white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon sea salt (I use Colima salt)
4 bone-in chicken thighs
Garnish:
3 radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup pickled onion slices (recipe follows)
½ cup queso fresco
2 limes, sliced into wedges
Pickled onions (~1 cup):
1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup white vinegar
¼ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
Process
In a large bowl, add the dried corn and cover with water plus 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. When the corn has soaked, place the onion, garlic, cumin seeds, bay leaves, oregano, and salt in the bowl of a blender. Add 2 cups of water and blend until smooth. Pour into a 4-quart pot. Drain and rinse the hominy. Add to the onion mixture, along with 7 cups of water. Add the chicken thighs. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 2 hours, until the corn is tender. Alternatively, you can cook in a pressure cooker for 50 minutes.
Remove chicken thighs and shred the meat into a bowl. Discard bones. Taste pozole to see if more salt is needed.
Serve in individual bowls topped with shredded chicken, sliced radish, pickled onion, queso fresco, and a lime wedge. Pozole keeps in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
Pickled Onions: Place the onion slices in a quart-size glass bowl or jar. In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar, sugar, and salt over medium high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Pour into bowl or jar over the onion slices, making sure all the slices are submerged in the vinegar. Let sit at least one hour until onions are pink. Any leftover onions can be kept covered in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
