Mexican Pozole Rojo (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Soup Base

01 - 3 lbs pork shoulder or shanks, fatty and diced into 1 to 1½-inch bits
02 - 4 cloves garlic, whole, plus 4 more roughly chopped
03 - 4 oz guajillo or ancho chiles, remove stems and seeds
04 - 5 quarts cold water
05 - A huge can (108 oz) of white hominy, rinse and drain well
06 - 1 tsp of ground cumin
07 - 3 fragrant bay leaves, fresh is best
08 - Pinch of salt, adjust as needed
09 - 2 tbsp Mexican oregano, crushed lightly in your hands

→ Toppers

10 - 1 small onion, white and chopped finely
11 - 12 to 24 tostadas, crisp and ready to eat
12 - 4 zesty limes, quartered
13 - A bunch of cilantro, fresh and chopped up
14 - ½ a cabbage, shredded thin
15 - 2 creamy avocados, diced up
16 - Radishes, thinly sliced—one whole bunch

# Instructions:

01 - Pull off stems, seeds, and the tough veins from the dried chiles. Toss them into a dry skillet, warming them over low heat until they smell great. Place the chiles in a bowl, pour over about 3 cups of hot water, and let them soak for around 20 minutes or until they're soft.
02 - Dry your pork chunks with a paper towel, then sprinkle on plenty of salt. In a pan, heat up some oil over medium-high. Brown the pork in batches to get a nice crust on every side. Toss in the chopped garlic for the last 60 seconds, stirring it around just to wake up its punchy flavor.
03 - Boil 5 quarts of water in a massive pot. Scrape the seared pork into the pot, along with the garlic (from the pan) and the tasty drippings. Pop in the hominy, cumin, bay leaves, and oregano. Rub the oregano through your fingers first to amp up its fragrance. Stir in a tablespoon of salt and simmer it all for 15 minutes.
04 - Blend the soaked chiles (plus 2½ cups of their water), the whole garlic cloves, and a teaspoon of salt. Puree until it's silky. Push the mix through a fine strainer so it’s nice and smooth, leaving any tough stuff behind.
05 - Swirl the chile sauce into your simmering broth with the pork and hominy. Toss in 2 teaspoons of extra salt, then cover the pot halfway and let it slowly cook for a couple of hours or until the pork falls apart tender. Scoop out any fat floating on top and taste to check if you need more seasoning.
06 - While waiting on the pot, fix up the toppings: slice the cabbage thin, chop your cilantro and onion, quarter up your limes, cut radishes into thin circles, and dice the avocados. Lay out everything in separate dishes for easy serving.
07 - Spoon the hot and delicious stew into bowls, keeping it warm as you serve. Let everyone pile on their favorite toppings however they like. Side with tostadas or tortilla chips for a nice crunch.

# Notes:

01 - You can stash leftovers in the fridge for 7 days or freeze it up to 3 months.
02 - Vegetarian? Use roasted veggies or seitan instead of pork, and swap in veggie broth.
03 - Kick up the heat with more chiles or stir in a dash of tomato paste for added depth.

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