Submitted by Maribel Sierra, MPH, Research Data Analyst, General Internal Medicine, Center for Vulnerable Populations, ZSFG
My Story
Pozole is classic Mexican comfort food but you won’t find it served in many restaurants. Pozole comes in two varieties “verde” and “rojo” and is usually made with chicken or pork. I have always enjoyed Pozole in its traditional forms but when I became vegetarian about eight years ago I had to find ways to adapt some of my favorite foods. What I like about this recipe is that is just as comforting as any traditional pozole but also very doable on a weeknight. You could even roast the veggies and make the salsa verde in advance and bring out the salsa on the day you’re ready to make the soup. I like making this dish on fall/winter days or if you’re in San Francisco, during any day in June Gloom or No-Sky July.
Recipe
Total Preparation Time: ~30 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 minutes
Ingredients
8-10 Tomatillos (or about 1 pound)
1 White or yellow onion
2-4 Serrano chiles
3-4 Garlic cloves
1 Poblano pepper
4 tbsp Olive oil
1 25-oz can Mexican style hominy
1 10-oz pkg Comrade Cluck brand plant-based strips (or seitan)
1-quart Vegetable stock
1 bunch Cilantro
1 lime
3-4 tsp Salt (to taste)
1 Avocado (optional)
¼ tsp Mexican oregano
Method
Prep your vegetables for roasting. First, pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees and gather the tomatillos, onion, garlic, poblano and serrano chiles. De-husk and rinse the tomatillos and place on a large sheet pan. Peel the garlic cloves and add to the sheet pan with the tomatillos. De-stem your chiles and cut in half. Take out the chile seeds and rib with a spoon. Place your chiles with the sheet pan with the other veggies. Peel your onion and cut into large pieces. Add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and toss the veggies in the oil. Once the oven is pre-heated, roast the veggies for about 30-45 minutes.
Once the veggies have roasted, let them cool for about 10 minutes and add to a blender or food processor. Add a bunch or a handful of cilantro with the roasted veggies in the blender. Process or blend until you have the consistency of a salsa. If you find that your veggies are not blending easily, add some water to the blender. Set aside your salsa mixture.
Open the plant-based strips package and break apart the strips into bite sized pieces in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Place a Dutch-oven or large pot over medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the large pot and once hot, add the plant-based strips to cook until golden brown (about 5-8 minutes)
To the Dutch-oven or pot with the plant-based strips, add the drained can of hominy, and vegetable stock to the pot, stir to combine, and cook for 2-4 minutes.
Add the salsa mixture to the pot and add salt to taste. Add more water if necessary. Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until it comes to a gentle boil. Then lower the heat slightly and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Cut a lime into quarters and chop some cilantro as garnish.
Serve the soup in bowls and top with cilantro, oregano (optional), avocado slices (optional) and a squeeze of lime juice.
Tips
Seitan is a good substitute for “Comrade Cluck” brand plant-based strips.
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