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Pueblo Posole
Pueblo Posole
The origin of posole can be traced back to the Aztecs of Tenochtitlan. It is said after a human’s heart was removed after ritual sacrifice, the rest of the body was chopped up and cooked with maize; eaten as an act of religious communion. After the Spanish conquest of Aztecs in 1521, cannibalism was banned. Pork became the protein of choice.Today, posole is a staple of indigenous Pueblo communities of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Pork shoulder gets stewed with chilies and hominy. The posole is served with fry bread and topped with a large variety of garnishes such as green onions, cilantro, chilies, radishes, avocado, just to name a few.
Equipment
- Spice grinder
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork shoulder cut into small pieces
- 4 cups water
- 4 dried chilies
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 3 cups hominy
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Fry Bread
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp vegetable oil plus more for frying
- 3/4 cup warm water
Garnishes
- green onions chopped
- cilantro chopped
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Simmer the pork, onions, and garlic with 4 cups of water in a large pot over medium heat for 90 minutes.
- Grind the dried chilies and cumin in a spice grinder.
- Add to the pork along with the hominy and the rest of the seasonings.
- Simmer for 30 more minutes.
Fry Bread
- Mix the ingredients together.
- Roll pieces out into flat discs. Poke a whole in the center with your finger.
- Heat up 1/2” deep of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Carefully lay a disc of dough into the oil.
- Fry for 3 minutes a side.
Bison Bluecy Burger
Bison Bluecy Burger
If you aren’t from MN, you might not know that this is the home of the juicy lucy. This is my twist on the cheese filled burger, only using ground bison and blue cheese. The grated onion in the burger keeps the bison moist, since this burger will need to be cooked through for the cheese to melt. There’s no such thing as a medium-rare juicy lucy. The burger is topped with caramelized shallots and peppered mayo.
Equipment
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground bison
- 3 tbsp onion grated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper plus more
- 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
- brioche buns toasted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- mayonnaise
- bread and butter pickles
Instructions
- Mix together the ground bison, grated onion, salt, and pepper.
- Form into 4 – 1/4lb balls.
- Flatten each of the balls on a square piece of parchment paper.
- Take a 1/4 cup of blue cheese and place it in the very center of the patty.
- Take another flattened patty and place over the top. Crimp and seal the edges of the burger.
- Heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil on a sauté pan over medium high heat. Place the bluecy on the pan. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip the burger. Place a cover on the pan and cook for 5 more minutes.
- While the burger is cooking, heat up the other tbsp of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add in the shallots.
- Saite for 5-6 minutes until caramelized.
Spring Rolls with Hmong Sausage
Spring Rolls with Hmong Sausage
These spring rolls are very similar to the Vietnamese variety that you might be familiar with. Hmong sausage is thinly sliced and used as the protein. Spring rolls are fairly easy to make, but they require a lot of prep work. Really a lot. Once assembled, serve them with the sweet peanut dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 Hmong sausages
- 2 packets vermicelli noodles prepared according to package directions
- 1 packet rice paper
- cilantro
- mint
- Thai basil
- carrots shredded
- purple cabbage shredded
- cucumber cut into long strips
- green leaf lettuce
Peanut Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
Dipping Sauce
- Heat up the water, peanut butter, sweet chili sauce, and fish sauce in a small pot. Simmer for 3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the lime juice, green onions, and cilantro. Set aside and let cool.
Spring Rolls
- Add your Hmong sausages to a hot sauté pan over medium high heat.
- Sauté for 5-6 minutes a side until browned and cooked through. Set aside and let cool.
- Prep all of the ingredients.
- Dip a sheet of rice paper in warm water to loosen. First lay down the lettuce. This will hold the ingredients. Fill with the rice noodles, carrots, cabbage, cucumber, and herbs. Place a couple slices underneath the lettuce.
- Fold over the left and right sides. Fold over the bottom side and roll tightly.
- Repeat these steps until the Hmong sausage is used up. You should yield 10-12 spring rolls.
- Anything you don’t plan on instantly eating should be wrapped in plastic wrap and eaten within the next 2 days.
