Pork Posole (sort of)

Posole is a traditional soup or stew from Latin America. It's usually associated with mexico, especially as a holiday meal, but the basic recipe predates Europeans in this hemisphere. Real Posole, the type Crystal and Mara's grandmothers probably made, is slow cooked and take hours to complete...delicious and special. I can envision Crystal and Mara giving me a lecture on why this cheat recipe really isn't posole, but hey, it's fast and tasty, and uses many of the same ingredients. I like to make a big batch on a sunday night and take leftovers for lunch during the week. This freezes pretty well, too, if you would like to keep a few pre-portioned lunches or dinners stored away for when there isn't time to cook at all.

Pork Posole (sort of)
Time: 1 hour (but half of that is "stewing" and you can go do something else)
servings: 4-6

olive oil (about one tablespoon)
1 medium-sized onion
2 celery stalks
2-3 medium carrots, peeled
4 garlic cloves
1 pound pork tenderloin (pork sirloin probably works, too, and is less expensive)
5 cups chicken broth
2 cans of hominy, 15oz each, drained (the name sounds weird, but it's just specially prepared corn; gold or white, your choice...sometimes I use both *gasp*)
2 cans diced green chiles, 7oz each (pick your hotness level)
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (if you like cilantro, don't skip this, adds a lot of flavor)
salt (to taste, but you probably won't need any unless you get very low sodium broth)

Make sure your pot is at least 5 quarts. Chop the onion, celery, and carrots. You should aim for small pieces, about 1/4 inch cubes. Chop the garlic even smaller. (I'll write some tips for quickly dispatching onions later). Heat oil in the pot using medium-high heat and add all the ingredients you just chopped (It's totally ok to add the stuff to the pot as you chop and add oil and heat after. Just remember that it will take a few minutes extra cooking time, though it will also save some dish-washing. Cook the veggies until softened, about 6 or 7 minutes, stirring intermittently. While they cook, cut up the pork into 1/2 inch cubes. When the veggies are soft, add the pork to the pot, stir every once in a while, and cook until pork is no longer pink on the outside. Add the broth, hominy, chiles, cumin, and chili powder. Let this come to a boil and then lower the heat to something between medium and low. Simmer for at least a half-hour. You can go longer if you want, it can only get better and you can do other stuff while it cooks. Just before serving, add the cilantro and stir until wilted.



Sometimes I like to serve this with or over rice to give it a bit more substance.

Summer Pasta

Welcome to the Short Rib! For the first post I'd like to share a simple recipe that's perfect for the hot days of the summer. This is a pasta dish that can be served warm or cold and the leftovers are especially good after melding in the fridge over night. Consider this a basic plan with a lot of room for imagination. The possibilities are endless.

Orzo with Fresh Tomatoes, Chic Peas, and Feta Cheese
Total time: 20 minutes (really!)
Servings: 4-6

1/2 pound of orzo or other small pasta
3 large or 4 small tomatoes, ripe
1 can (14.5oz) chic peas (aka garbanzo beans)
Crumbled feta cheese
Olive oil (preferably virgin or extra-virgin)
salt

Fill a 5 quart pot (or something similar) halfway with water. Cover and bring to boil. Add pasta, stir immediately to prevent sticking, and turn the heat down to medium. While the water boils and the pasta cooks, cut up the tomatoes and add to a large bowl. It's really up to you how small or large to cut the tomatoes...either neat wedges or diced...I usually shoot for something in the middle. Include the juicy centers because they help coat the pasta. Next, drain and rinse the beans and then add those to the tomatoes. Add salt a few pinches at a time, to taste. You really must taste things or you'll never be able to figure out what your food is going to come out like. Same goes for the pasta, try a little as you think it's getting near done. Small shapes take about 10 minutes, but this always varies. Drain the pasta in a colander with very small holes to make sure the orzo doesn't slip through. A large strainer will work, too. Rise with a little cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool the pasta. Add the pasta to the bowl with the tomatoes and beans and immediately add olive oil and mix to prevent sticking. You can use any oil, but virgin or extra will add more flavor and you won't need as much. I used less than a quarter cup this last time. Add a little, mix, add a little, mix. Everything should be coated, but you don't want to end up with a puddle at the bottom. Taste! You should be able to taste the oil. Finally, mix in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of feta. Again, this is really up to you. We like a lot of cheese. Eat now or chill for a while and eat later.

Feel free to tweak this as you go. Fresh herbs like basil are always great. This recipe also works really nicely with the addition of balsamic vinegar. One of my favorite variations is pasta, tomatoes, great northern beans (a type of white bean), oil, and balsamic. The northern beans tend to be less firm than other types of beans and lend a creaminess to the sauce. Get creative and change the vegetables, add chicken, try a new cheese. Other pastas that work great (and are easier to work with than orzo) are the classic italian soup pastas such as ditalini, tiny bow ties, and small shells.

Pre cheese-mixing. The pasta is ditalini.