Recipe: Posole (Mexican Pork and Green Chile Stew)

the appetizer:

Miss Vickie's Big Book of Pressure Cooker Recipes by Vickie Smith, includes easy-to-make recipes like Normandy Chicken; Posole (Mexican Pork and Green Chile Stew); Halibut with Fennel, Purple Onions, and Yellow Tomatoes in Packets.

Cookbook

Posole
(Mexican Pork and Green Chile Stew)

One-Pot Meal

Serves 6

Posole is traditionally served at Christmastime in Mexico, but you can enjoy this thick and hearty stew any time of the year. Filled with succulent chunks of pork, hominy, corn, and tomatoes that are simmered in a robust and zesty seasoned broth, this has just enough heat to keep it interesting. Serve with plenty of warmed buttered flour tortillas, crushed tortilla chips, or crusty bread.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds boneless pork sirloin or shoulder, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 carrots, diced
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped
1 (32-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with juice
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can hominy, drained
1 (12-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles, with juice

Heat the oil in the pressure cooker over medium heat. Add the meat, cook until browned on all sides, and set aside. Add the onions and bell peppers to the cooker and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the cumin, basil. oregano, and red pepper flakes, frying until they begin to sizzle and release their pungent aromas. Add the carrots, cilantro, tomatoes, broth, hominy, corn, chiles, and 2 cups water. Return the pork to the cooker, stirring to mix. Lock the lid in place. Bring to lspsi over high heat, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting to stabilize and maintain that pressure, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and use the natural release method (see page 31 of the book) to depressurize. Carefully open the lid after the pressure drops. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve the soup in a tureen or individual soup bowls.