Southwestern Recipes
Hominy Soup
Yield: 4 to 6 main course servings or 8 first course servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds country-style spareribs
- 2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
- 1 cup finely chopped white onion
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, coarsely crushed
- 1 1/2 quarts water
- 3 pounds chicken backs, wings and necks
- 1 pig's foot, cracked, if desired
- Fresh tomato salsa
- 1 (29 ounce) can hominy, rinsed and drained
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- Sliced radishes
- Sliced scallions
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Trim fat from spareribs. Cook ribs, 1/2 at a time, in lard in 6 to 7 quart Dutch oven over medium heat, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Remove ribs from pan. Add white onion to pan; sauté over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, salt, oregano and cumin; sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add water, chicken, pig's foot and spareribs to pan. Heat over medium heat to boiling; reduce heat to very low. Simmer, covered, skimming foam occasionally, until ribs are tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- Remove and discard chicken and pig's foot, if used. Remove spareribs to plate; let stand until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes.
- Remove and discard fat and bones from ribs. Break meat into large chunks; return to soup. Refrigerate, covered, 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove and discard fat from top of soup. Stir in hominy. Heat over medium heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
- Ladle soup into individual bowls.
- Pass lettuce, radishes, scallions, lime wedges and fresh tomato salsa to be added according to individual taste.