Posole. Photo by Liddie Martinez
By LIDDIE MARTINEZ
Española Valley
Corn has been revered as a sacred crop for thousands of years and has been used for ceremonial and religious purposes. Posole, in most Hispanic homes, is a symbol of celebration. Often made for family gatherings and special events, it is a longstanding custom to make posole as the holidays commence.
In my family the women gathered in the kitchen to share stories while sharing the work. It is still a time-honored tradition. Cooking always included multiple generations and while the younger cousins learned the oral history of our family through shared stories both current and ancient, they also learned the cooking techniques by shadowing the elders.
These family encounters called for large pots and healthy portions. It took me a long time to figure out how to pare down the ingredients for a smaller number of servings. These days I am back to cooking the large portions as I now cook for my mom & dad as well as for our household. My dad likes to tease my mom by delighting in my cooking and making loud compliments about it being the best he has ever tasted, he can be such a joker. But I know well enough that my dishes taste exactly like my mom’s did at the height of her cooking career, much like hers tasted like my grandmother’s – that is the beauty of learning by shadowing. History repeats itself in the kitchen, if you take the time to slow down and teach the little ones.
Spend time in the kitchen with the kids, they will learn something of value and have real memories to think about when the screentime ends. Yes, times keep changing but, as the old adage says, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Some folks will skip sautéing the pork pieces and just drop them raw into the pot to cook with the posole. There is nothing wrong with that. But keep in mind, we are trying to build flavor and browning the pork and then sautéing the onion and garlic in the same pot before adding the posole, pork and water will add a deeper flavor that will make you glad you took the time.
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Posole, dry or frozen
- 2 Pounds of Pork Butt, trimmed and cubed
- 1 Onion, chopped fine
- 2 Cloves Garlic, crushed and chopped
- 6 Red Chile Pods, stems removed and seeded, cut into pieces
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Kettle of Boiling Water, as needed
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Soak posole in cold water overnight. Change water at least 2 times.
Sauté pork and onions in olive oil, season well with salt and cook until onions are transparent. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute or two then add posole in water all at once. Bring to a boil and add red chile pod pieces, cover and lower flame to simmer.
Keep a pot of water boiling and add water to posole pot as needed. Do not add water that is not boiling to the pot; your posole will discolor. Simmer for about 2 ½ to 3 hours until posole has bloomed. Don’t overcook, it will turn to mush.
Editor’s note: Liddie Martinez is the author of the popular, award-winning Chile Line Cookbook: Historic Recipes of Northern New Mexico, which is available online at https://thechileline505.square.site/.
Preparation for Posole. Photo by Liddie Martinez
Preparation for Posole. Photo by Liddie Martinez