Tag: main course
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.
Hmong Poached Chicken with Mint Cilantro Pepper Dip
Hmong Poached Chicken with Mint Cilantro Pepper Dip
I’ve seen many recipes for poached chicken as well as being on numerous menus at Chinese, Vietnamese, and Hmong restaurants. Honestly, it has always sounded underwhelming to me. Boiled chicken. So what. How wrong have I been. While this Hmong recipe is simply that; boiled in lightly salted water with a couple stalks of lemongrass, the mint cilantro dip is what accents the chicken. The chicken turns out unbelievably tender and flavorful. The bones pull completely out. I like to save the bones from the carcass and return them into the pot of stock you just created. The chicken gets arranged on a platter with the dip served on the side. The other way the chicken is served is to completely shred the chicken and mix it with the dip.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 4 lb whole chicken
- 1 gallon water
- 3 tbsp salt
- 2 stalks lemongrass
Mint Cilantro Pepper Dip
- 2 cups mint
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1/2 cup green onions chopped
- 6 Thai chilies
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 tsp mushroom seasoning
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
Instructions
- Bring a gallon of water to boil. Add the salt and lemongrass.
- Add the whole chicken to the pot. Cover. Simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before assembling.
Mint Cilantro Pepper Dip
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor.
- Process into a paste.
- Refrigerate until ready for use.
Poached Chicken Assembly
