Christmas Pozole

I thought it would be nice to have a Christmas dinner with my friends at the office before heading home to Ohio. I even got creative and sent out an EVITE. I had been wanting to use this design for a long time, I love chandeliers!

EL MENU:
Guacamole

Pico de Gallo Salsa
Tortilla Chips (baked in oven)
Cervezitas/Vino
and for the main course
POZOLE
(a Mexican pork & hominy stew)

I called my mother-in-law for her authentic recipe. Ernesto makes this dish too, but he uses a seasoning packet that is sold in mexican stores (not in Costa Rica) I had to find out what exactly is in that seasoning packet! Yes, it is one of my favorite Mexican dishes. I didn't know this before, but Pozole is a traditional Christmas dish in Mexico, so that worked out perfectly!

The recipe is as follows:

To a big pot add:

2 lbs. pork (include neck cuts, and a pig foot for flavor)

One white onion, cut in half

One whole head of garlic

One spoon of chicken flavoring
Salt

Add enough water to cover well and let this cook for about one hour. Skim froth off the top.

While pork is cooking take 6 dried pasilla chillies and cook for 30 minutes with 2 cups water and 2 cloves of garlic. Add this to the blender to puree.

Add chili puree to the pork

Add 2 16oz. cans of hominy

Let cook another 2 hours or until pork is "fall apart" cooked.

Taste and add more salt if needed.

The following ingredients should be chopped and ready for garnishing the stew:

Green cabbage

Cilantro

White onion

Radishes

Lime wedges

Chile sauce in a bowl for extra spice

To prepare Chile Sauce:

In a frying pan lay down alluminium foil and add about 10-12 dried chile de arbol peppers. blacken peppers on high heat (this will cause you to cough like crazy-so open windows and doors!) Add blackend chillies with 2 cloves garlic and 1/2 cup water and puree. This sauce is added per bowl and is very spicy.Keeping with the Mexican menu (NOT!) Maureen made a delicious Chocolate Peppermint mousse for dessert.

It was my favorite kind of "girls night" Great food and good conversation!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! I can't belive it's only 9 days away!