In the case of a trip to Santa Fe, N.M., I was richly rewarded because the entire staff of our hotel seemed to be passionate cooks. They were all opinionated, in a good way, about life - and posole.
Posole is not simply a stew, they said. You make it for all the people you love or want to love.
Judith, the concierge, gave us her grandmother's recipe for posole, along with a tantalizing story. Apparently, when she lived in a Trump Towers penthouse that belonged to her grandmother (don't ask), this particular posole was responsible for numerous dates.
How? Grandma, back in Santa Fe, shipped Hatch chiles (charred and peeled in season) and frozen posole to Trump Towers, where Judith made posole for many people, including the doorman (the second most important man in the building next to Donald).
The doorman, in turn, recommended her to the most handsome and eligible bachelors in the building. While Judith simmered posole in the tower, her phone kept ringing.
That posole reeled in several willing suitors, but Judith didn't like them all that much. She left New York along with the posole recipe.
This is where the story gets better. She found love back in Santa Fe.
The trick with any posole is getting the whole kernels of lime-treated corn, called hominy, nixtamal, posole or pozole. When the posole kernels are ground, they become the masa for corn tortillas and tamales.
The best place to find the kernels is wherever corn tortillas are being made. La Palma Mexicatessen in San Francisco (2884 24th St., near Florida Street; (415) 647-1500. lapalmasf.com) is one such place, but many other Mexican grocers in the Bay Area also carry them.
Lacking a nearby tortilla factory, look for dried posole kernels. These are generally available at well-stocked supermarkets.
Along with the posole kernels, you'll need Hatch chiles. They're in season now, so it's a particularly good time to make this dish. Canned Hatch chiles are also fine to use. Then you're ready to get started creating your own loving posole.
Penthouse Posole
Serves about 12
The soulful stew is easier to prepare if you cook the posole kernels a day or two ahead. If you can't get fresh New Mexican green chiles or Hatch chiles (Hatch chiles are a type of New Mexican chiles grown in Hatch, New Mexico), substitute a few cans of Hatch green chiles and fresh poblanos. Posole keeps for several days in the refrigerator. It also freezes well.
Posole
2 pounds fresh or frozen posole (see Note)
1 1/2 quarts cold water
1 1/2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
1 meaty ham hock or thick slice of ham, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
6 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground red chile
4 ounces fire-roasted Hatch green chiles, minced (see Note)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pork
3 pounds boneless pork butt roast
2 to 2 1/2 pounds bone-in center-cut loin pork chops, 1-inch thick
3 tablespoons canola or lightly-flavored olive oil + more as needed
1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
2 cups chopped onions
6 cloves minced garlic
8 ounces fire-roasted Hatch green chiles, chopped, to taste
2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes with juices
1 tablespoon cumin seed, toasted and crushed, to taste
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, crushed, to taste
2 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
-- Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnishes
-- Minced parsley or cilantro, avocados or guacamole, sliced radishes, chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce, and ground red chile for those who want their posole even hotter.
-- Lime wedges for serving
For the posole: Rinse the posole kernels in a colander under cold running water. If you are using dried posole, place in a deep bowl and cover with cold water. Soak overnight.
Place the rinsed kernels in a deep pot; add the cold water and broth and bring to a simmer. Add the ham hock or chopped ham, the onion, garlic and pepper. Stir in ground and green chiles. Simmer until the posole kernels are tender, about 3 hours, adding salt during the last 20-30 minutes. The kernels should be tender to the bite, but firmer than you are used to with canned hominy. Remove the ham hock; when cool enough to touch, pull off the meat, shred it and add it back to the posole. Refrigerate if not using right away.
For the pork: Trim pork butt of excess fat, leaving some of the fat between the muscles - the fat will add flavor - then cut into 1-inch dice. Cut the pork chops into 3 pieces. (I use bone-in because I think the bones add even more flavor.) Dry the meat with paper towels.
Heat the oil in a large (12-quart) pot. Sear the meat in batches, until it is brown around the edges. Remove the cubes as soon as they are lightly browned. Sprinkle a little salt over the meat; set aside.
Add the onions to the pot. Cook, stirring, until a little softened, about 5 minutes, adding the garlic toward the end.
Add the chiles, the tomatoes with their juice, the cumin, oregano, water and broth. Stir the meat back into the pot. Reduce the heat as low as possible and gently cook for 2 to 3 hours with the lid cracked open to allow a little steam to escape, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid if necessary. Do not allow the meat to cook dry.
When the meat is tender, stir in the reserved posole. Simmer for about 15 minutes for flavors to meld and posole to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve warm. Offer the garnishes as desired.
Note: You can use dried posole, but will need a little less than 2 pounds. Trader Joe's carries canned Hatch green chiles. If using canned chiles, also add 3 charred, peeled and diced poblano chiles to the pork.
To char chiles, preheat the oven to 400°. Place rinsed chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast until darkened and the peels blacken slightly. Remove and cool down enough so that you can pull off the skins and cut out the seed cores.
Per serving: 696 calories, 48 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 44 g fat (15 g saturated), 131 mg cholesterol, 989 mg sodium, 7 g fiber.
Wine pairing: Adjust your wine choice to the level of chile heat. A medium-bodied, lightly-oaked red such as Tempranillo will handle a slightly spicy posole, while one with more heat will go better with a varietal like a light, fruity Beaujolais Nouveau.
