Red Pozole

Red Pozole

6 pounds pork shoulder or butt (bone-in is more flavorful)

1 lg white onion

½ c peeled, crushed garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

1 T Black pepper

1 T Cumin

Cover the above with water (around 12 cups) and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 1 hour or until the pork can be pulled apart with two forks. Skim impurities throughout. 

Remove pork from liquid and let cool. Strain the broth into another container. You can chill to remove excess fat if you would like. Reserve the bone to put back in the broth.

Shred pork into 1 inch pieces.

Next ingredients:

9 guajillo chilies

5 chili de arbol

1 quart of boiling water

5 cloves of garlic
1 white onion

Remove stems and seeds from chilies and toast in a hot pan for a few minutes. Add to boiling water and let steep for 15 to 20 minutes.

Process chilies and soaking liquid in blender or food processor with 5 cloves of garlic and 1 white onion.

Pass the results through a fine mesh sieve and add the liquid to pork broth. Discard the solids.

Add 1 giant can of hominy to pork and chili broth

Add shredded pork and bone back into the pot

Add 4 Tb mexican oregano

1 Tb ground cumin

2 bay leaves

1 T salt or bouillon (or more to taste) 

Simmer for 30 minutes or longer while preparing the garnishes.

Garnishes (can prep while pozole is cooking):

• Half a small cabbage, thinly sliced
• One bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 white onion or green onion, chopped
• 2 avocados, chopped
• 4 limes, quartered
• A bunch of red radishes, sliced thin
• Cotija cheese, crumbled
• A couple dozen tostada shells
• Mexican crema, optional

Ladle soup into large bowls and let people garnish as they like. It makes a lot so it is good for a crowd, but you can also freeze the soup.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

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Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Clients regularly bring these yummy rolls in to my place of employment to express their thanks for services that they receive. It is one of the best perks of the job!

30 rice wrappers

vegetable oil for frying

1 bunch fresh mint

fish sauce

For the filling:

2 oz dried bean thread noodles, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes

1 oz dried woodear mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes

1 sweet potato, peeled and julienned

1 jicama, peeled and julienned

2 eggs

2 tsp fish sauce

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp sugar

1 onion, finely chopped

3 spring onions, chopped

1 c minced ground pork

1 c minced prawns

salt and pepper

1.     Squeeze dry soaked noodles and chop them into small pieces. Squeeze dry soaked woodear mushroom and chop into small pieces.

3.     Beat eggs in a bowl. Stir in the fish sauce, garlic and sugar. Add the onion, green onion, noodles, mushrooms, sweet potato, jicama, pork and shrimp. Season generously with salt and pepper.

4.     Have ready a damp dish towel, some plastic wrap and a bowl of water.  Dip a rice wrapper in the bowl of water and place on damp cloth. Spoon about 1 T of filling into the side nearest you., just in from the edge.  Fold the nearest edge over the filling, fold over the sides., tucking them in neatly, and then roll the whole wrapper into a tight cylinder. Place the roll on a plate and cover with plastic wrap to keep it moist. Continue until all the filling and wrappers are used.

5.     Heat vegetable oil in a wok or deep fryer. Make sure it is hot enough by dropping a piece of bread in the oil; it should foam, sizzle and turn brown. Cook the spring rolls in batches, turning them in the oil so they become golden all over. Drain them on a paper towel and serve immediately with fish sauce for dipping.