Mexican Pozole

From Mexico, pozole is a mighty soup to conquer the chills.

3 lbs. country back pork ribs
10cups water
1 lb. can crushed tomato
16 oz. can tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Juice of one lemon
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
salt to taste (2 to 3 teaspoons)
1 lb. can hominy
2 dried chipotle peppers (stalks removed)
1⁄2 cup hot water
chopped radishes and fresh arugula for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot and stir in the onion and garlic. When the mixture is fragrant and wilted, but not brown, add the pork and stir well. As the meat changes color, pour in the 10 cups of water. Add the crushed tomato, tomato paste and oregano, and stir well. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours. About halfway through, add the drained can of hominy. Soak the chipotle peppers in the hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. With the water, blend the peppers until finely crushed. Add this mixture a little at a time to the soup, testing for your own heat level. At this point, add salt to taste — about 2 to 3 teaspoons — and the sugar. Add juice of lemon a little at a time, stir and taste. By this point, the meat should have almost all fallen off the bones. Remove from heat. With a pair of tongs in each hand, gently shred the meat (mostly already in chunks) and remove any bone or pieces of gristle. When cooled, put the soup pot in the refrigerator. After about an hour the pork fat will congeal at the top. Skim this off, and return to the stove to heat, then serve over chopped radishes and arugula.

For more about Mexican pozole read our Selling Soup story.