Lately I have been obsessed with two things - posole, and Al Green's "Let's Stay Together". Why? I cannot begin to fathom.
Is it some profound revelation about my need to be connected to pork and corn products forever? Is it love? Is it some kind of sickness? Who can say?
I only know that I won't be able to rest until I learn how to play "Let's Stay Together". But life keeps getting in the way. There's a job to go to, and gigs to play, and a floor full of dust bunnies that desperately needs vaccuming, and there are thrift stores to explore and there is shrimp to be barbequed and there are long, hot spring nights to make one feel completely and utterly under the spell of Spring Fever.
And for god's sake, there is posole to make!
So tonight, that's exactly what I did. I made my own version of pork posole, and I made a batch of homemade fresh corn tortillas, and I listened to so much great music as the fat sun slowly faded into the distance and turned the sky a lovely shade of cotton candy pink.
Al Green was in heavy rotation, as was Aretha Franklin, Sly & the Family STone, and Barry White for god's sake! I believe the Barry White songs were a direct response to the Spring Fever!
And later, after the posole, imagine my bliss when a sweet dear friend showed up and asked me to teach her how to play one of my very own songs! Like, someone wants to cover me... how cool is that???!!!
Frankly I don't think I could ask for much more satisfaction in the span of a mere 24 hours. But there's always room for a little more, eh?
Before sleep takes me over, let me attempt to share the posole recipe, as near as my perfectly sated self can possibly bring herself to recall...
Take 1 1/2 pork butt (bone in) and put it in a big stock pot - cover with a combo of chicken stock and water. Add half a red onion studded with 3 cloves, plus two bay leaves, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, and a liberal couples twists of fresh ground pepper.
Bring to a boil and then turn it down and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, till the pork is falling off the bone and tender and delectable. At this point, the house should smell divine.
Now, pull out the pork & bones, separate them, and toss out the onions, cloves, bay leaves and big chunks of fate plus the bones, and put the shredded pork back into the pot. Add 2 14 oz cans drained hominy, 1 finely diced jalapeno, 2 T. oregano, 2 T. freshly ground cumin, 1 T. chipotle powder, the juice of 1 lemon, and about 8 oz crushed tomatoes. Add enough water to completely cover the pork and hominy by 2 inches. Let simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Add plenty of salt and fresh ground pepper, plus about 1/2 bunch finely chopped cilantro.
Ladel into bowls and garnish with crumbled cotija anejo cheese, shredded Napa cabbage, and thinly sliced radishes and scallions and lemon. Serve with fresh corn tortillas. Seriously, just blow off all the other shit you need to do, and put all the love and energy you have left into fresh corn tortillas. YOu KNOW you want to.
Keep the stereo cranked up all along, and shake the booty with reckless abandon. Don't ask why, just do it. You will be glad you did.
No comments:
Post a Comment