New Mexican Posole

Ingredients

• 1 1/4-1 1/2 lbs lean boneless pork, cut in very small cubes
• 2 cups hominy, canned drained
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 large dried New Mexico chiles, seeded
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 3-4 cups cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Directions

1. 1

   Combine all the ingredients, except the salt and hominy in a pot.

2. 2

   Simmer the stew over low to moderate heat, uncovered, for 2 - 3 hours until the meat is very tender. If the mixture becomes too dry while cooking, add more water. (About mid way through this time, I fish out the chiles and gently scrape the now fully reconstituted inner flesh from the paper like skins. Stir the chile flesh back into the stew and throw the skins away.) About 1/2 hour before the stew is done add canned hominy.

3. 3

   When posole is done, add salt to taste. The stew should be a sort of soupy stew, best served like chili, in bowls.