A New Ingredient Oh So Fowl

It was brought to my attention by a Wisconsin friend, author and professor that she was suffering kitchen burnout – at a loss about what to do with our most beloved of go-to’s – the tender bird. I heard her plea and decided to try something new.

I’ve been captivated by the word “Pozole” and had some vague notion that it was Mexican and delicious and might be a stew. I thought “hominy” could be involved, another unknown quantity to me, and so now I was deep into foreign soupy waters. I love cookbooks, but I confess, this craving led me straight to the Web, which begs the question: can you cobble together a quick and easy meal on the basis of a Google search? The answer, most assuredly is yes, and I must tip my toque to The Kitchn for providing the impetus, if not the specific recipe.

For all this bluster about a so-called “wall,” I am yet to meet a human being whose mouth does not water at the mere mention of authentic Mexican food. I tackled this recipe for a green chili chicken pozole at 9 p.m. on a Wednesday night and the only ingredient I puzzled over was the roasted green chili. This seemed to be the passport to a truly international flavor, except I have a small kitchen prone to overheating. The less oven steps I take, the happier I am. Rather than complicating my life by blistering peppers, I discovered a small can of fire-roasted goodness at the local store and I suspect that made all the difference.

Cooking is indeed the great unifier and in fact a good friend just edited a great book about the contributions of chefs from all around the world. It is a message that transcends politics and bears shilling. I for one am posting this piece on the morn of Yom Kippur. Observant Jews everywhere will be praying and fasting and counting the minutes to sundown. My jerry-rigged pozole calls for hominy, but in the spirit of peace and understanding on this highest of holy days, I see no reason it would not welcome a matzo ball or two!

Green Chili Chicken Pozole

Ingredients

•  1 lb. boneless chicken thighs

•  1 can fire roasted green chilis

•  32 ounces of chicken broth

•  One 14-ounce can of hominy

•  1 large white onion

•  3 or 4 cloves of garlic

•  1 bunch of cilantro

•  3 -4 tsp of cumin

Prep

1.  Put broth in large, deep saucepan and bring to gentle boil.
2.  Chop garlic and onion; add half of each to broth.
3.  Place chicken meat whole into broth and cook for 15 minutes until done.
4.  Remove meat to cutting board to cool.
5.  Add the rest of garlic and onion, and the cumin.
6.  Drain hominy and add to broth.
7.  Finely shred or dice chicken meat and add to broth.
8.  Let rest at a gentle simmer for 15-30 minutes to meld flavors.
9.  Serve in a deep bowl with a chopped shrub of cilantro and perhaps a big squeeze of lime.