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Pozole Verde
Pozole verde gets its color from raw tomatillo and charred poblano blended into a broth thick with hominy, corn kernels treated in an alkaline bath until they puff and split. Most versions fry that green sauce in lard or oil before it goes into the pot, a step meant to tame the tomatillo's sharp acidity. Here the sauce simmers directly in the broth instead: twenty minutes of gentle heat does the same rounding-out job, and the starch the hominy sheds as it cooks thickens the broth without a roux. Serve it the way pozole is always served, with bowls of shredded cabbage, sliced radish, and lime passed at the table so everyone finishes their own.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Tomatillo, husked, rinsed, and halved
- 2 Poblanos
- 1 Jalapeño, stemmed and halved, seeds left in for heat
- 1 Yellow onion, quartered
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Cumin seed
- 1 cup Cilantro, packed, plus more for serving
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 4 cups Hominy, cooked, or two 25 oz cans, drained and rinsed
- 3 sprigs Epazote, fresh, or 0.5 tsp dried (optional)
- 1 tbsp no-salt vegetable bouillon
- 2 Limes
- 2 cups green cabbage, shredded, for serving
- 4 Radishes, thinly sliced, for serving
Method
- Put the tomatillos, jalapeño, quartered onion, and garlic in a pot with 4 cups (960 ml) water. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the tomatillos turn from bright to dull green and give when pressed. This short boil takes the raw, grassy edge off the tomatillo before it hits the blender.
- Meanwhile, char the poblanos directly over a gas flame or under a hot broiler, turning until the skins blister and blacken on all sides, about 8 minutes. Seal them in a bowl covered with a plate for 5 minutes to steam, then rub off the blackened skin and pull out the stems and seeds. Charring builds the smoky depth a fried sauce would otherwise get from oil.
- Toast the cumin seed in a dry skillet over medium heat until it darkens a shade and smells nutty, about 90 seconds, then grind it.
- Transfer the tomatillo mixture and its cooking liquid to a blender with the charred poblanos, cilantro, ground cumin, and oregano. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the green sauce back into the pot. Add the hominy, epazote if using, and the bouillon dissolved in 3 cups (720 ml) water. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The hominy sheds starch as it simmers, which thickens the broth on its own, and the simmer itself rounds out the tomatillo's sharp edge the way frying the sauce would in most versions.
- Discard the epazote sprigs. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and taste. The toasted cumin and the bouillon carry enough savoriness that added salt is not needed.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cabbage, sliced radish, and wedges cut from the second lime, letting everyone finish their own bowl at the table the way pozole is always served.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 145 calories, 4 g protein, 6 g fiber, 170 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt.
